From Start to Finish
by WizardsGirl
Summary: AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.  Will continue with favorable results from reviewers! XP
1. Prologue: Reenturing the Human Populace

From Start To Finish

**A/N:** I own nothing but plot. So there!

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and MAN!SEX

**Summary:** AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.

R&R

Prologue:

Reentering the Human Populace

Pain.

It was something I'd long since become accustomed to. The sun against my skin, my eyes, after so long in confinement; it hurt, but it was a good hurt. It let me know that I was alive, though I was no longer certain if that was a good thing as of itself. I'd been locked in my dank, dark, and familiar little cell for over a thousand years, the men holding me told me when they'd finally, finally come to get me out of the hellhole that had once been the terrifying and horrible Azkaban. Now, it was barely a mound of rubble in the dirt.

They were Unspeakables, the Secret Service of the Wizarding World, which had long ago come out of the magical closet. They were also some of the last remaining Wizards left in the world, apparently, the others having long since been purged as the Purebloods had predicted. The Muggles fear, though, was _not_ the original source of the eradication of Wizard-Kind. That's what dear Tommy-Boy-Snake-Face got wrong in all his lovely plans and predictions.

It was their thirst for long-life. The realization that Wizards couldn't get cancer, or AIDS, or an STD, or anything that caused death amongst the weak little Muggles. The fact that our males could carry children, though it was dangerous. And, most of all, they wanted the Magic, the power. It was, my escorts told me, their great grandparents very own Holocaust.

Children were taken from their non-magical parents and magical parents alike, to be shoved into government-approved "Camps", where the long-ago camps of Hitler were put to shame for sheer, inhumane _torture_ of innocents. Grown Witches and Wizards were captured and experimented on, like animals. Forced to breed and watch their children be shipped off to a fate worst then the Kiss itself, had Dementors' not died out themselves a few hundred years after my imprisonment. Squibs were collected for testing, experimentation. Some of the results were…less then anything that even resembled human. Magical creatures were massacred for their various attributes, to be sold as delicacies or pets around the world. Some were interbred with normal animals, some spliced and melded through science, which could do things that even magic couldn't.

Monstrous things…

They talked to me as we walked across the gray desert that had once been the sea. They both wore masks, in order to breathe without being poisoned from the smog that was what was left of the air, in this area, at least. I sucked in each breath with relish, my lips blackened from a millennia of nothing but damp _rot_. It's not like it would hurt me, after all.

Nothing could kill the Master of Death.

I stared up at the sky, nearly black with the leavings of industries and disgusting waste that was what came from the Muggles precious _technology_. Every step made my soul cry out, as Mother Earth, the one from whom we all came, shivered and despaired and _screamed_ beneath my feet, what was left of the mighty thing called magic writhed and roiled, uncontrolled, wild, and so, so weak. My own magic, the energy that is released with every end of life, the magic _of_ Life, and of Death, was immense, and kept my body the sturdy twenty-two it had been when I'd first been imprisoned, accused of Black Magic and of being a Dark Lord.

Insanity had left me mute _centuries_ ago.

"We're almost back to the car," Jacob Havord, the younger of the two, murmured. I tilted my head and stared at him, as I had been this entire time, my muscles unused to any kind of movement after so long. My magic whispered to me, about his life, about his eventual death, about everything he'd been through. It sang and crooned and whispered, my only companion in all the lonely, lonely years. Eric Carver, the other, shuddered, and I tilted my head at _him_, and again my magic whispered his secrets.

He would die sooner then his partner, _that_ I was positive of. Unless, of course, he found his Soul Mate, which was highly unlikely, considering… Or, of course, if something intervened, which was not likely to happen, but then again, it was unlikely that any would come to remove me from my cell as well…

We came upon a car with strange, non-moving wheels, that was a bright, cobalt blue. I was pushed gently into the backseat, where I immediately laid down and cuddled into the soft leather, my overly sensitized skin all but climaxing in hedonistic delight. My escorts climbed into the front, and started driving, the low rumble absurdly loud after so long with only silence for true company. I faded out for a little while, soaking in the warmth of the leather, the rumble of the car, and the jerks of the car itself as it moved over uneven terrain. Havord and Carver spoke as they drove, and though I listened, I gave no indication that I cared. But, in my mind, where things were always happening, I paid very, _very_ close attention.

The Muggles had started something called AVATAR, on a planet, a _moon_ to be exact, which was six years from Earth, called Pandora. They spoke of seven-foot-tall beings that lived there, blue cat-people, savages, called the Na'vi. The People. Some were peaceful, some were not, but there was one thing that they all had in common.

They _really_ didn't like the "Invasion" of their planet.

Havord and Carver were due, in three years, to get on a ship and journey out to Pandora, as scientists without AVATAR's, under the orders of a botanist Muggle named Grace Augustine, who was on her way there now and due to land within a month. They had been going to go with Havord's wife, Cynthia, but she had died along with the daughter she'd been giving birth to, a not-so-uncommon thing to happen, now-a-days. So, they'd dug through their ancestors and predecessor's files, dusty and disintegrating, and Carver had found a three-inch-full binder, hidden deep in the back of a molding cabinet, about one Harry James Potter.

It had been a long, _long_ time since I'd been called that.

They told me how they'd read it, and saw how many notes had been taken about him. About his immortality. His ability to speak with snakes. His unusual amount of power, even _after_ so many years incarcerated. It surprised me enough that I blinked for the first time in years, my lids and lashes scrapping uncomfortably against my dry eyeballs, clearing my vision a little as dust was forced from a place it had rested for decades.

I had been monitored by the Ministry, even while imprisoned. It just made me feel all sorts of important! …Note the sarcasm. Which, by the way, amused me as I had not believe I could be sarcastic about myself after not really thinking all that much for a while…

Anyways, they read my qualifications and, as the last of the Wizarding Secret Service and Unspeakables, decided, apparently, to bust me out, just so they could clean me up and take me with them to some far off planet, where strange monsters could _eat_ me if I decided to run off.

I find them amusing. They remind me of two redheaded twins whose names I've long since forgotten… But that matters little, now. Everything matters so little, when their lives begin and end in a single blink of my own eyes. I shift my head, and the mass of my tangled, matted black hair, which had grown to nearly four-times my measly height of five-foot-five, fell forward to block my sight. I didn't move to move it, and realized, with bemusement, that about a foot of my heavy mane was _outside_, caught in the door.

"We'll be there in a few minutes," Carver announced, making my eyelids twitch at the sudden sound. I would need to reacquaint myself with the sounds of other humans; else I give away some part of my amusing comrade's little plans. Minutes passed in silence, awkward for them, but familiar for me. We came to a stop and I swayed upward creakily, waiting patiently as I peered through the thick, greasy, dirty clumps of my hair at the one-story building where the two Wizards lived. The houses next to it looked nearly deserted, and Carver pulled me out carefully, Havord reluctantly heaving my wild mass of hair to follow, grimacing at either the smell or the weight, I don't know.

We got inside, and the first thing they did was take me into the bathroom and run a bath, the water clean but reeking of chemicals to my ultra-sensitive nose. I know, though, that my face never twitched to show the disgust I felt, and I tugged my meager, moth-eaten rag from my hips, letting my curtain of hair hide my skeletal body easily, before stepping into the warm water.

My skin immediately screamed in pain, and I quickly stepped out, eyes tightening at my beet-red feet and ankles. Carver frowned when I showed him, and he fiddled with the water, emptying it most of the way before adding lots of cold water and very little warm. I gingerly stepped in again, and, in water that would have felt barely a degree above cold for a human, I found tolerable, if bizarrely slimy-feeling… Already, with only my feet, clouds of dirt and muck from a thousand and eight hundred, ninety-two years of living in the dirt were billowing around my ankles.

"Perhaps a shower would be best," Carver muttered; I once more stepped from the white tub, and waited with the patience of centuries as he fiddled with the water and sprayer until perfect, after draining the tub again. He gestured me in, and I obeyed silently, shuddering as the slimy-feel of the water licking down my skin disturbed me. He'd gotten it at exactly the right temperature, and I ignored the discomfort of the water in order to enjoy the pleasure of _warmth_ again.

The water was black with filth in seconds, and I blinked in surprise for the second time, eyes no longer parched but almost _too_ wet, when hands, gentle but firm, began to scrub at the layers of muck that coated me like a second skin. My hair was an almost unbearable weight before the tingle, and the near-painful feel, of another's magic whispered briefly, and the weight of my mane was gone. Curious, I lifted my hands and touched my hair, which now reached my shoulders. It was still horrendously matted, but… Better. Much, much better.

I turned my eyes on Carver, who was dumping the yards of what was my hair into a trash bag, grimacing. I touched his shoulder; he jumped, staring at me, wide-eyed. It was the first physical thing I'd done since meeting them…that I'd initiated, at least. I forced muscles that hadn't moved in centuries to move, and could almost hear the near-painful creak as my mouth turned slowly up, barely perceptible, but it was a smile. I nodded carefully at him, eyes landing on the hair and moving back. He smiled, getting it, though he looked uncomfortable.

"No problem," he muttered; I nodded again, and turned my face once more under the water. As he heaved my trash bag of hair out the bathroom door, I hesitantly began to scrub at myself, slowly, before my arms quickly tired. Carefully, I sank down to sit, Indian-style, in the tub, closing my eyes for the first time for more then a blink, and just _felt_.

The muscles in my legs, forced to work when they'd had no need before, loathed me at the moment. My arms, tired, pulsed with a soft ache, as did the cheek and jaw muscles I'd forced into moving just moment ago. The water was gray now, I noticed when I opened my eyes, and didn't feel quite so slimy as half of the dirt was washed away. Lifting my hand, I blinked, startled to find jagged talons at the ends of my fingers. I'd not noticed it before. It looked like my nails had grown as long as my hair, but had broken off. Carefully, I pushed one against the side of the tub, and watched it bend backwards with an unusual amount of flexibility, until _snap_! It broke of were skin and fingernail met.

No blood or pain followed, though the tip of my finger now bore no nail, the reddish, soft tissue exposed. In the next thirty seconds, I'd done the same for the rest of my fingers, as well as my toes, all of which had also grown grotesquely. And all with the same result. I carefully piled the nails together, and placed them in the nearby wastebasket, dripping water as I leaned out of the tub, before sitting back down. Carver entered moments later, with a soft-looking towel, which he sat on the counter before kneeling and silently beginning to scrub my hair, working carefully at the mats. As his hands massaged my scalp, I made a sound for the first time in over two thousand years.

I purred.

His hands hesitated, for a second, before continuing with more certainty then before, and I pressed into his hands and shut my eyes, blissfully content to let him wash my hair. I couldn't remember if I'd ever been taken care of like this, before my imprisonment. I didn't think so, though. Sometimes I got flashes of people or things from back then, but not many names or such at all.

Half an hour later, after he soaped my hair and body with a clinical, impersonal (amusing), precision, I was lifted from the water, now just cold, though crystal clear, and wrapped in the fluffy towel. I purred again, a rusty, hoarse sound, but I was trying, at least. He picked me up and carried me to a room where Havord waited with a pair of boxers, pants, and shirt. I refused the pants as shirt, for now.

They _hurt_ against my skin, so unused to being trapped inside clothing after so long. I wore the boxers more out of courtesy then any want or embarrassment. I would wear a shirt and pants, even _shoes_, though they disgust me, when in public. I felt no such duty in the presence of these two men, which seemed to amuse them, though they also seemed to understand.

They carried me from the room when walking nearly had me falling to the floor, leg muscles cramping and twitching in denial of my wishes, and set me down again at the small wooden table, where a mild broth, cold, sat waiting for me, and where a much heartier meal awaited my two companions.

"We'll start teaching you everything you'll need to know after we send in the fake paperwork so you can commandeer Cynthia's ticket," Carver told me as I very carefully reached forward and wrapped my bony fingers awkwardly around the handle of my waiting spoon. It had been so long; I wondered, briefly, if I'd forgotten how to use one…

"You, unlike us, will be in the AVATAR program, so that you can move around the planet and such with _much_ more freedom. You'll need to learn as much, if not more, then Cynthia knew, and log several hundred hours before they'll let you anywhere _near_ the program. We have three years to acquaint you with the world…" He paused, frowning. "You need a name. Calling you Harry… It just doesn't seem right." I tilted my head slowly, more as if the muscles had simply gone slack, then nodded slightly to them.

"How about Jayden?" Havord asked, face a little solemn since the mention of his deceased wife. I tilted my head, thought about it idly, and then gave a minuscule nod.

It was better then Harry, anyways.

"Jayden Michael… What should he last name be?" Carver asked; Havord once more spoke up.

"Collins," he said softly. "It was Cynthia's maiden name. She had a distant cousin named Jayden, whose records got destroyed in a strange fire-related accident not ten years ago. Hundreds of people seemingly disappeared out of thin air. We can explain that he'd been in private care after a severe emotion breakdown when his children died in a car accident," he suggested; I felt my lids lower slightly, and then nodded my approval. Carver smiled slightly.

"Welcome to the family, then, Jayden Michael Collins." I felt my lips twitch, more of a spasm then anything close to a smile, and nodded once more. I could really begin to like these two…

If they didn't annoy me too much, that is.

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**

**(.)_(.)**

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

The first thing I learned, was that living so long and forgetting most of my past, made remembering new information _very_ easy. I soaked things up like a sponge. The Na'vi language was easiest, then there was the chemistry, biology, botany, sociology, psychology, psychiatry, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, and every other subject my two guardians could think of to shove down my throat. I re-learned to write, to speak, to _be human_ and still I was off. Because a Master of Death is never truly a human. I was an entity, nearly a deity, and so could never be a human ever again.

But I could mimic them, at least, convincingly.

I logged seven hundred hours. I made "friends" with a slightly hyperactive scientist named Norm, who would travel with my two guardians and I when we headed for Pandora. I memorized and developed human habits, like breathing and blinking habitually, every couple of seconds, though not too often. I even practiced in the mirror until I was fairly certain I wouldn't frighten my fellows.

Finally, the time to leave arrived, and I found myself dressed in white slacks, a white, loose dress shirt, with my favorite side-bag (a tattered, ratty brown thing) slung across my chest to thump lightly against my hip. As my guardians headed towards our "bunkers" as they called them, I noticed a man in a wheelchair pushing himself in. He looked remarkably like a fellow scientist of mine, Tom Sully, whom, my magic had informed me, had died. Now, it licked along his skin when I asked it to, and whispered some of his secrets.

Ah.

So this was Tom's twin, Jake…

He had great and hard choices to make ahead of him. I'd make sure he made through them mostly in tact. Even if I got maimed in doing it, seeing as how I couldn't actually _die_. Humming softly, I handed my bag to Jacob, so he could have the attendant put it in my locker for when we arrived. I eyed the large ship as we made our way to our pods. Six years of nothing but sleeping here, no one to talk to…

I'd just have to focus on everything I'd learned in the last three years, and make sure it was all memorized.

As I lay in my pod, breathing in the medicine that had no affect on me, I wistfully wished I'd had the forethought of smuggling in a book. It was going to be a _long_ six years… Well, if I didn't meditate, so I might as well start now.

Pandora, here I come.

R&R 


	2. Welcome to Pandora

From Start To Finish

**A/N:** Wow, lots of requests this continue…

So, ONWARD!

Oh, and

_**NOTE!:**_

Did anyone _**BESIDES ME**_ find Colonel Quaritch attractive before he turned into a total douche and EVERYONE wanted to torture him to death?

_**I**_ thought he was hot, in that badass-soldier-kinda-way… And then he proposed Genocide, and I was "Good Feelings Gone" on his ass...

…

Anywho, I owns nothing but plot and OOCness!

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and MAN!SEX

**Summary:** AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.

R&R

**Chapter One:**

**Welcome to Pandora**

Around Six Years Later

I woke from my meditative state, where I had been meticulously going over the anatomy of a hummingbird, to the unpleasant sensation of someone touching me.

"Hey there," the friendly assistant greeted me, her face smiling as I stared at her, blinking slowly in what I'm sure she took as grogginess but was really my own form of irritation. "You might feel nauseated, or dizzy. Do you? If so, it's completely normal, okay? No need to worry or anything at all, 'kay?" I blinked at her, and carefully rolled out of my pod to float in the antigravity space with her.

"Do I get my stuff now?" I whispered; my voice box hardly rose above that _before_ six extra years of disuse. She smiled in what I'm sure was meant to be a sympathetic way.

I was tempted to tell her how she was going to die in three years, four months, two weeks, four days, two hours, thirty-six minutes, and twenty-two seconds from cancer due to too much exposure to space-radiation…

But I decided to be nice and merely stared until she got uncomfortable and pointed me in the right direction.

I nearly ran into Eric and Jacob, who grabbed me and softly scolded me for scaring my assistant (which they knew I did though they hadn't seen anything because that's just who I am, apparently) and helped me get the rest of the way to my locker, which was between theirs. Humming, I unabashedly stripped and pulled on loose, tan cargo pants, a loose green tank-top, and my tattered side-bag, pulling out the book I'd set in it. It was a medical book, and I was fascinated with it, mostly with the nervous and muscle systems.

"Come on, Jayden," Eric muttered, pushing my seemingly oblivious form towards the wall. I idly kicked off it and sent myself lazily spinning in the correct direction, noting, amusedly, that Jacob turned slightly green with the sudden motion and stopped trying to watch me as I spun toward the medical bay to be checked for negative side-affects. They'd find none, so I'd have plenty of time to read…

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**  
><strong>(.)_(.)<strong>

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

Putting my book into my bag as the small ship landed, I pretended to listen to Norm rattle on about whatever it was he was talking about (something he'd seen that I'd probably already seen and just didn't deem memorable at the time), as I watched Jake Sully from the corner of my eyes. The ex-Marine was an interesting character, and handsome, I'll admit. The shrapnel that had damaged his spine saddened me, as my magic told me that should his Fate not work according to plan, it would aid in greatly shortening his life expectancy.

I'd just have to help with him then, wouldn't I?

Obediently following the barked orders of some faceless commander, I made my way to the meeting hall, my guardians at my sides, Norm behind me, and the interesting Jake Sully a ways behind, hampered by his cumbersome chair. Poor fellow…

The next three hours were spent being snapped, snarled, barked at, and insulted, by one Colonel Miles Quaritch, who was supposed to keep us all alive but "would not succeed". I couldn't help but agree with him, as large percentiles of humans are all idiots when push-comes-to-shove, and most do stupid, infantile things to prove they can…

I often get flashbacks of a prissy, snooty blond boy with slicked back hair when I think this, for some reason, but anytime I try to remember his name, I can only think of ferrets… It is both frustrating and disturbing, and had me wondering for a time if the poor, now-dead child's name _was _Ferret…

I stopped thinking about it, and tried to focus on the strange, gelatinous gray goop they passed off as food, and wondered if it was even safe for human consumption. I was worried and no longer hungry in the least when my Magic was unable to provide a clear answer. Humming, I listened to Norm chatter Jake Sully's ear off from across from me, and raised my head when he gestured to me.

"If you have any question on, like, _anything_, though," The hyperactive (and most probably ADHD) scientist babbled, "and Dr. Augustine or I aren't around, just ask Jayden Collins, here! He knows, like, _everything_ on _anything_, even weapons!" That caught the ex-Marine's attention, and I found myself the soul-focus of the handsome mortal. I sighed silently, and softly contributed to a discussion on guns he helpfully started, describing the pros and cons to explain which weapons I preferred and didn't. It garnered the attention and questions of any soldiers nearby, and I soon found myself in a heated (on his side) debate with some lieutenant who looked like he'd never seen a real battle outside of a simulator.

"Jayden, making friends already?" Jacob asked, appearing at my side with Eric on the other side of the table next to Jake and a worried Norm, accompanied by a dark-skinned, nervous man who brought flashes of a nervous-boy clutching a toad, for some reason…

"Hello, Jacob," I said calmly, turning my placid gaze on him and blinking, just as I'd taught myself. "Is it time to meet Dr. Augustine now?" He nodded, and I stood with my untouched tray, nodding to the nearly purple-faced lieutenant. "I had a wonderful time discussing the affects of using passive-aggressive techniques compared to simply aggressive techniques, sir. Perhaps we can later continue, so you can once more astound me with you lustrous inability to grasp the fact that death is death no matter how big the explosion." I smiled pleasantly and brushed serenely past him, dumping my tray and setting the clean platter to be cleaned by some poor private who'd probably gotten in someone's way and was now the Dish-washer.

"Come on, Jayden," Eric said, a hint of steel entering his voice, and I obediently padded to stand between him and Jacob, unconcerned that the lieutenant was now being held back by some of his comrades. Humming a tune I no longer remembered the name of, but knew to be a lullaby, I swayed between my guardians.

"You really shouldn't bait the jarheads, little brother," Jacob scolded, setting a hand on my thin shoulder. I sent my eyes up to meet his uncomprehendingly; he frowned. "You might just decide to 'wander off and get eaten'." He made air quotes while saying it, and Norm looked decidedly more nervous, fidgeting even more with his bag. I shrugged after a few moments deliberation, the movement feeling strange no matter how many times I'd practiced in my handy mirror. It always seemed bird-like and unnatural, and made me uncomfortable to say the least, so I rarely did it.

Dr. Grace Augustine, when we found her, turned out to be a rather intimidating mortal woman, with a spitfire, in-your-face, fuck-you kind of attitude that I found mildly amusing. With slightly frizzy red-hair, smooth skin, and an attractive face, she was one hell of a ball-bruiser, and I winced when she snapped out that she needed Jake's brother Tom, _not_ Jake.

"He died," The ex-Marine said coldly, eyes spitting fury. "Sorry if it inconvenienced you." Dr. Augustine bit back a retort and looked away briefly, then back, eying him in a slightly new light.

"How much lab-time have you got?" She snapped; the paraplegic cocked his head.

"I dissected a frog once," he replied immediately **(A/N:** All time favorite line in the movie**)**; I couldn't help but snort softly as it immediately sent the woman into a rant. She immediately turned her ire on me, and I found a small smile curling my lips, watching her with placid, blank eyes. She blinked, scowling at me.

"You Collins?" She snapped instead of whatever probably-insulting thing she was probably going to say beforehand. I nodded.

"Yes, ma'am," I murmured; she blinked at my quiet voice, frowning now in concern, and Jacob stepped forward.

"Jayden's throat was permanently damaged while he was… ill, Doctor," he told her carefully; I blinked serenely at her, calmly waiting for her to finish assessing me. "He can very rarely raise his voice higher then what you just heard, without the help of a microphone and mini-speaker." She nodded, then scowled at me and jabbed a finger in my direction.

"I don't know what the hell's wrong with your DNA," she told me, face stern, "but we can't grow your should-be-adult Avatar past the puberty stage, or the age of about eighteen in their years. And, not only that, _squirt_," she smirked as I blinked twice in rapid succession, startled. "But your Avatar is uncommonly short for its age as well. Anything you'd like to tell me?" I blinked slowly, staring at her.

"My family were huge coffee fiends and started young," I deadpanned, face unmoving as I stared at her. Everyone stared at me, incredulous, and I felt my lips start to twitch at the corners against my will, and then slowly begin to turn up. As they continued to stare, my shoulders shook in silent, softly-amused chuckles.

Ah, to be a naïve mortal again! Such amusing children…

"Right," she drawled, her own lips quirking only slightly. She turned to Norm, and asked him how his Na'vi was. He replied in a formal form of the language, and I followed Jake over to the tanks holding the Avatars. Staring at its features, I recognized Tom in them, and hummed.

"You both really do look a lot alike, you know," I murmured to him thoughtfully, turning a small smile on him. "I hope you're not alike in other ways, though. No offence, Jake, but Tom could get a bit self-centered when it came to his work. It caused some problems between the two of us, and a tense work environment. Not enough for me to wish him any form of harm," I murmur, eyes sadly tracing the tiger-like designs on the Avatar's body. "But enough that we would never be anything even resembling friends. I hope that it will be different between you and I…" I glanced down at him, and found him staring at me with a small, tired grin.

"My brother could be an ass," he told me bluntly. "And I'm a stubborn, mule-headed dick sometimes. He got the brains, I got the brawn. We never could stay in the same room longer than ten minutes without one of us trying to start some kind of fight, him with words, and me with fists." Said fists clenched, and, hesitantly, I placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, keeping my eyes on his beautiful Avatar, eyes once more tracing the blue skin, the black hair, and the cat-like features.

"I miss him," Jake murmured after a few minutes of silence. I squeezed the shoulder, then patted it.

"Come on, Speed-Racer," I teased with careful familiarity. Mortals could be so touchy about such things… "Let's go poke fun at my midget-Avatar." Jake grinned, and, smirking slightly, I led the way to the next tank, where Dr. Augustine was gesturing and talking to my guardians, familiarizing them with my soon-to-be-new features. She gave Jake and I a scathing look, which we returned, him with a purposefully innocent look, and I with a serene smile, and continued.

"As you can see, he also has unusual bioluminescent dot patterns on his body and forehead. They seem to shift and move, and, according to the charts, he should be able to gain control over how bright they glow and what patterns they glow in." She pointed out the small areas, and I faded out as she began to explain what the dots were used for to Jake, who'd asked, and focused on my Avatar.

It really did look young. Like I did, in the time before Azkaban, or, at least, what I believe I did. I don't remember anymore. It was a good foot, foot-and-a-quarter shorter then Jake's Avatar, and I suddenly felt the urge to reach in and touch it. This would be my new body, my new self.

I wondered if it would hurt, going into this young body, when all I've ever known has been in this old one. What if this old one dies once my soul leaves it? Will I forever remain as one of the Na'vi look-alikes? It is something I ponder, eyes tracing the strangely delicate-looking feline-features of my Avatar.

"He's got four digits!" Jacob exclaimed, staring in rapt curiosity at my Avatar's lithe, long hands. I blinked and focused with the others, but Dr. Augustine, who smirked slightly. There they were: three long fingers and a long thumb, just like the true Na'vi and unlike any of the other Avatars.

"So what?" Jake asked, confused.

"The Avatar's all have normal hands," I told him softly, holding up my hand as an example. "Four fingers and a thumb." I gave them a wiggle. "The Na'vi use this, as well as our scent, to tell us apart sometimes, when we try to blend in and manage too well for them to be comfortable. Remember, Jake. We are invaders. Dream-walkers, _uniltìrantokx_ to the Na'vi. They do not like us very much, though some are much better at hiding it." I turned my eyes back to focus on my Avatars hand in silence, confusion rising to bat softly at me, like a hesitant kitten with a ball of string.

"Well, whatever it is in your DNA that keeps your Avatar young and short did that," Dr. Augustine told me, smirking. "Drove us all nuts, trying to figure it out." I shook my head with a hum.

"When can we do a test run?" Norm called from where he eagerly stared at his own Avatar tank. Dr. Augustine grinned, amused.

"Give it another week, and they'll be good to go," she told us; I nodded. "That gives _you_, Jake Sully," she said, narrowing her blue eyes on Jake, "time to read up a bit on what's expected and what _to_ expect. I suggest you check out some of the wildlife or language, honestly. No point in you going out if all you're going to do is get yourself killed." She turned and stalked away, and I shook my head.

"Time of the month," I murmured; Jake choked on his laugh, and grinned at me. My lips quirked up into a small smile in return. This was going to be interesting, if the purring of my Magic under my skin was any indication, which it usually was.

Hello, Pandora...

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**  
><strong>(.)_(.)<strong>

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

The week passed slowly for Jake and Norm and Max Patel (the nervous, dark-skinned scientist from before). For me, though, it was a mere blink of the eye, as I didn't need to sleep and I technically didn't need to eat or drink either, though my guardians made sure I did (though they took mercy on me and didn't force the indefinable gray goop on me ever again… Actually, they never allowed me in the cafeteria without intense supervision again, either… how odd…).

I spent those seven days curled up on my bunk, warily meditating, Magic greedily rolling and writhing in the abundance of Life and Death that thrived on this moon. The entity that made it all happen, the one the Na'vi worshiped as Eywa, poked at me occasionally, curious but benevolent in her actions. I smiled softly as she did this now, while I waited for the others to wake so that we could go and sync with our Avatars.

Eywa was much younger then Gaia, Mother Earth's technical name. She was a moon, a child in truth, no matter the wonderful life she had flourishing upon and under her surface. I sighed, and sent my Magic against her curious poke with a caressing pat, like one pats the head of an endearing child. She rolled, startled but pleased, and, hesitantly, her focus curled up and around my own, until I slipped into a meditative state.

Brother? She asked, in a way, as a consciousness and power can't truly speak. She sent feelings and pictures and impressions she got from her creatures and creations. I smiled.

Sister. I sent back immediately in greeting, and rode her swell of warm, happy delight. Even a planet can get lonely, you know, no matter how many thousands of spirits and consciousnesses she collected when her precious ones passed on.

Stay? Play? Happy? She jumped from one thing to another, her vast, large consciousness consuming my own momentarily, until I floated within her, and nearly drowned in the sheer volume of _life/death/existence/PAIN/JOY/move/still _that was her entirety and the entirety of _every_ being on her at any point in time. Quickly though, before I could lose myself, my Magic dragged me back, like pieces scattered in the wind that were tied by spider web. I felt her confusion and she poked at me again. I shielded myself a bit against her wish to play.

Small. I told her quickly, not wanting to be drowned in the young planets enthusiasm again. Fragile. Play too rough, breaking. Lost. No play hard. She seemed confused, so I sent her as many impressions as I could, using many she had given me herself to explain it. After what seemed an eternity, she seemed to understand.

Not weak, she confirmed, consciousness licking up the sides of my power like a child might carefully pet a kitten after being warned to be VERY gentle. Delicate. Yes? I sent and affirmative, and she pulled back, satisfied and pleased that she understood the concept. No play. Go now. Stay, she ordered me, ruffling my magic with a playful cautiousness, then she pulled away. I gave a small pulse of farewell, and pulled myself back into my body, blinking my eyes open and yawning hugely, jaw popping.

I felt like I'd slept for a full eight hours, for the first times in centuries… and glancing at the clock, I saw that I'd been with Eywa for three of those supposedly eight hours. It was nearly eight in the morning now, which meant that the others were eating or in the shower, so I stood and stretched, and glanced sideways to see my handy-dandy mirror. I eyed my ghastly reflection placidly for a few moments.

Blood had dribbled from my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, most probably from when I had gotten lost in the planets consciousness. That's too much even for an immortal to handle for very long. Eywa may be younger then Gaia, but that still made her older than me, after all. Sighing, I shuffled to the bathroom and climbed into my personal shower. I had to share it with Jacob and Eric, but they didn't mind, and used the pretence that I was still recovering from my "Illness"…

Standing under the hot, steady spray of water, I smiled and washed the remnants of blood from my skin, before washing my hair and body. That done, I dried off, got dressed, and padded towards the lab. When I got there, I discovered everyone else waiting for me. I blinked slowly under Grace's (as she'd insisted we call her) scathing scowl.

"Well, now that Jayden decided to join us," she drawled; I smiled slightly.

"I was conversing with a higher power in my dreams and didn't wish to be rude and tell them to bugger off, Grace," I said placidly, voice deadpan. They stared, and my shoulders shook in silent chuckles. They could never tell if I was serious or not, and _I_ could tell that it put them all off to a great deal. Quickly, we all made our ways to our strange pod-things (I knew the correct terminology, but Jake's words worked better and saved explanations…). I watched as Jake snapped at Grace when she attempted to help him into his Pod.

Humming, I lay down and watched as Eric hooked things up. Jacob inserted an IV into my arm and injected a needle into the tube hanging out of the bag steadily drip-drip-dripping into it. He injected the medicine, which was made to keep my body acting human: i.e. my heart beating, my lungs working, my brain functioning, little human things that I normally didn't do when not consciously thinking about it. It was a specially-brewed potion they'd made for me over the three years I'd lived with them.

That done, they stared down at me, and asked routine questions. Was I dizzy? Lightheaded? Constipated? Cramping? Pain anywhere? (To which my prompt answer was "My ass, which you're causing" which caused Jack and Grace to snort and laugh at the same time, then glare at each other half-heartedly). They patted my shoulder, wished me luck, and closed the Pod lid.

If felt disconcertingly like being shut in a coffin…

Closing my eyes, I fell very still, while letting my chest rise and fall in soft, steady breaths. Suddenly, I flinched, and my consciousness, my Magic, was yanked down a rainbow-tie-dye-psychedelic tube, into Eywa, who chidingly guided me into my Avatar body, all the while giving me the impression that I was too _delicate_ to be running around unconnected to a body like that (I'm really regretting teaching her that word, you know).

I thanked her, and she released me and I once more was sucked down the tube until, with a silent, near-physical _snap!_ I plopped into my new body. Slowly, cautiously, I opened my eyes, blinking the blurriness away, and wondered, dizzily, why I had the sudden craving for chocolate. Lifting my strange, blue, four-fingered hand, I realized that this just might be much weirder then I thought it would be…

And couldn't wait to explore…

After chocolate…

**A/N:** And cut. R&R!


	3. Test Run, Literally

From Start to Finish

**A/N:** Wow, loads of people love this fic…

And to those who questioned my sanity after the Quaritch thing!

…

_**BADBOY**_

…

Need I say more?

I own nothing

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and MAN!SEX

**Summary:** AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.

**R&R**

**Chapter Two:**

**Test-Run…Literally**

"Easy there," the assistant said, immediately at my side as I heaved myself into a sitting position. Blinking rapidly, I absently followed through with the motions, touching my fingers awkwardly to my thumbs, frowning at them.

"What's wrong?" One of the assistants asked, instantly on alert. I scowled.

"I keep trying to move my pinkies," I said. "But I have no pinkies to move… Can I have chocolate?" I blurted, ears perking (literally…weird sensation, that…), giving them a hopeful look. They looked gob-smacked and slightly disturbed, and began quickly checking their charts. One made a little 'ah-ha!' sound and pointed something out on her chart. Two of the six assistants nodded and murmured to one another as Jake woke up in his Avatar across the room from me, and two of the other assistants went to help him and Norm out (who had woken up before I had, and was his strange, ADHD, eager-to-please self…)

"Here you go," my female assistant announced, appearing at my side while I'd been distracted. In her hands was a massive (to her hands, that is) pink fruit. Dubious, I lifted it, and sniffed it…

And my mouth was flooded with saliva.

Sinking my teeth into it without further ado, I hummed, a rumbling near-purr pouring from my chest as my toes literally curled and my new, obviously flexible tail writhed in delight at the explosion of flavor. It was like… well, it's hard to describe. Try taking every favorite fruit and sweet-candy, mixing them with a highly-carbonated soda, and having something that was bubbly, fizzy, sweet, tangy, and all-around mouth-wateringly-delicious.

Yeah. That's what I had in my mouth. And dear sweet Eywa it was _magnificent_.

I watched through half-lidded eyes as the over-enthusiastic Jake took off running, still in his hospital gown, and Norm went after him. I rumbled out a soft growl when the assistants moved my arms, but obligingly went through all the tests and movements, assimilating to my new, _much_ taller, more flexible and healthier body. When I finished the pink fruit, I was immediately supplied with another, and hummed happily before getting dressed in loose cargo shorts. I ignored the offered shirt and padded out of the room barefoot, tail swaying behind me. Before I was allowed out of the room, an oxygen-masked Jacob and Eric provided me with an extra check-up and a much larger version of my side-bag (actually the same bag, enlarged with a spell, though everyone assumed it was just a large bag that looked similar.). I could have kissed my guardians when I saw it was filled to the brim with the pink fruit.

Humming, munching, I set out to find Jake, weaving through the other Avatars as I did so, feeling only a little tipsy and ungainly in this much larger body. It was strange, to be touching the ground and yet still be so far away from it… How the bloody hell do tall mortals deal with it?

I found Jake minutes later, munching obliviously on a large plum/apple/eggplant hybrid fruit while Grace in her Avatar watched with a sense of gentle amusement that I wasn't used to seeing on her face...it fit rather well there, though. I sent her a distracted wave, and bumped shoulders with him, humming as I munched my pink fruit, before offering it and gesturing to his plumappleplant fruit… He hesitated, then, with a hesitant growl, handed the half-eaten fruit over. I reluctantly did the same, instead of falling to the childish urge of suddenly taking off with his precious fruit and not sharing my own…

Strange new-body-emotions…

Sniffing the Plumappleplant, I took a hesitant bite, and hummed. It was pretty good, too squishy and a bit too bitter for my tastes, but still good. If I ran out of Pink Fruit, I'd look for it. Jake and I exchanged a glance, and he swallowed his bite with a small wince. And a cough.

"It's a bit too sweet for me," he managed, handing it back. I shrugged and handed his back.

"Yours is too bitter," I replied; we stared at one another, then turned back to our fruit and simultaneously dug in.

"Fascinating," Grace remarked, eying the both of us. We both made humming sounds, paying half of our attention to the scientist. "You've both just done the exact same ritual some children of the Omaticaya do, or, at least, the siblings…" Jake muttered something that sounded strangely like 'Ohm-in-my-eye-ah?'. I guess he was asking what the Omaticaya was.

"Omaticaya," I explained, swallowing the last bite of that Pink Fruit but reluctantly not reaching for more, though I did set my hand on my bag. "The jungle-dwelling clan of Na'vi that live closest to our mining site." Grace nodded, then gave me a small frown.

"That was Sweet Fruit you were eating, Jayden," she told me, stepping close, and I was surprised at the sudden vein of sharp irritation that had my tail lashing, once, when I realized she was taller then me. I'd have to work hard on curbing the sharp hormones of this just-out-of-puberty body; else these too-strong emotions would overrun me…

"What's wrong?" Jake asked, having finished his Plumappleplant. Grace touched my chin, tilting my head left and right.

"Sweet Fruit is reserved for those who need a high amount of energy," she told Jake simply, eying me carefully. "The Na'vi give it to their elderly, sick, and pregnant women to keep them healthy. It's extremely rare for an Avatar to need more then two fruit, but from the way he's acting, and how pale his skin is getting, I'm guessing Jayden's going to need more…" she looked very worried, so I smiled my small, placid smile to placate her.

"No worries, Grace," I told her, pulling another Sweet Fruit from my bag. "I've got enough in here to last me a little while." So saying, I eagerly sank my slightly sharper teeth into the delicious fruit, gold eyes narrowing in delight and that near-purr rumbling out. Jake scrubbed Plumappleplant juice from his face with his hospital gown, as he technically didn't even need it as nothing literally showed beneath the waist… (It's much more disturbing for us males, let me tell you. You females have nothing outside of your body suddenly _vanishing_ when you become an Avatar. We loose our penis. How's _that_ fair?)

"Come on, you two," Grace said, shaking her head after watching me to make sure ate my fruit (which I had absolutely no problem doing). Calmly, she led the way to the cabin-like area where our Avatars would sleep while on-base. As we passed through the gorgeous garden (Jake grabbing another Plumappleplant fruit along the way) I found a vine stroking along my arm, trying to tentatively curl, and hummed as Eywa's energy threaded through it and into me, concerned.

More Delicate, she announced after considering me, then continued to thread a small amount of her steady, thrumming, soothing energy through my currently slightly-jumbled Death and Life magic. They did _not _like the abrupt transfer from body-to-body and were eager for the energy that both she gave and the Sweet Fruit was steadily feeding them, slowly coming to terms with and poking around in this new form. They were like two puppies pulled from a familiar playpen and tossed in a new one.

Humming softly, I finished my fifth Sweet Fruit and, stomach slightly protruded, reclined on my bunk, next to Jake's. I watched him through slitted gold-eyes as he did sit-ups, crunches, curls, and push-ups. Everything he could do to use his legs, and sighed before standing and stretching. I tugged on his tail and his head snapped around, a hiss escaping his mouth, fangs bared threateningly.

He looked like a kitten.

"Come on, Killer," I remarked dryly, swaying carefully through the bunks and out the door. He followed, grumbling, and I looked up at him with a bemused smile. "You need to run off some energy," I told him, and nodded towards a track, where humans in oxygen-masks were jogging, along with a few Avatar's who outpaced them without working at it. "Shall we race?" I asked, smirking. He arched a non-existent brow (something that went missing on _both_ genders, thankfully).

"Think you can keep up, Short-Stuff?" he shot back; I bared my teeth in a grin, and was satisfied when his ears and tail sprang up, startled.

"Sure you're up to par, Old Man?" I asked sarcastically, enjoying the irony of the moment. Jake growled and swatted at me, and I took off, chuckling my silent chuckle when Jake cursed and launched himself after me as I sprinted away.

It's safe to say that our Avatar bodies got more exercise then our human bodies that day, and every day after.

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**

**(.)_(.)**

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

I hummed to myself as, a week later, Jake, Grace, Norm, and I, all in Avatar-bodies, flew in a helicopter out into the jungle. Our pilot was a charming, amusing, dark-humored and attractive Latino woman named Trudy Chacòn. I rather liked her, and so did Jake, but that might be because she teased and flirted with him more as a friend then anything. She was… fun.

Unlike the irritating, creepy human soldier breathing loudly against my arm as he clutched his large gun. I eyed him placidly, gold eyes half-closed in my own form of irritation, tail lifting to drape easily over one of Jake's nearby bouncing legs thoughtlessly. The soldier was scrawny, scraggly, and reeked of sweat, grime, and lack of hygiene…

He'd probably tortured animals as a young child as well… And would die in seven months, two weeks, three days, seventeen hours, forty-nine minutes, and fifty-seven seconds…

Humming, I turned my attention once more out to the view, and watched the flock purple, flamingo-like creatures trying to keep astride of the helicopter. _Tetrapteron,_ I thought immediately._ Known to the Na'vi as __**fkio.**_ _Four wings, two on both sides, and twin tails used for balance and help when hunting. Two different breeds, though both are remarkably similar. These are the aquatic and arboreal. Both have the four wings, two tails, a large beak, and a gullet filled with glassy teeth. Difference: Aquatic Tetrapteron have longer necks and legs for the wetlands, their main hunting grounds._ I continued on in my mind, going into wingspans, mating habits, birth-to-death-ratios, and so on, until we finally landed.

Leaping out nearly before Jake had the chance (though he was closest to the door), I stretched and did a quick double-run around the copter, desperate to work off the energy eating Sweet Fruit gave me. The pink fruit helped my Avatar greatly, as long as I was moving. If I had to eat more then one in a sitting (and I had to eat one every hour, nearly on the hour, as-per doctors orders), it was like giving a toddler a jumbo, mega-caffinated cup of coffee, and putting them in a car for a twelve-hour drive.

I bounced.

A lot.

And Jake thought it was hilarious.

"Shut up, moron," I told him with a light frown as I came up beside him to see him chuckling at me; he gave a playful growl and lunged at me. I dodged and, grinning, led the way into the trees, closely followed by an armed Jake, Norm, and Grace, who told the irritating human soldier to stay with the helicopter. Jake grabbed my tail and I hissed, whirling and jumping on him, and he staggered back but didn't fall under my weight. Instead, he heaved me up and over his shoulder, making me blink disbelievingly over at Norm and Grace, who watched with grins of amusement.

"You gonna calm down, squirt?" I huffed, stuck a long finger in my mouth, and calmly, simply, gave him a vicious wet-willy. His responding screech of disgusted disbelief as he tossed me away, scrabbling at his sensitive ear, had me smirking as I smugly moving forward, humming as I swayed, tail flicking in amusement as he cursed behind me.

"I win," I told him. "Jayden – seven, Jake – three." I twirled my tail at him and, chuckling silently, continued on. We were distracted before Jake could decide his revenge, though, by the arrival of green-and-yellow, four-armed, two-legged monkey-like creatures swinging from the trees, large, round orange-yellow eyes curious and placid. Jake's first reaction was to jerk his gun up, but Grace grabbed him and said something I didn't quite hear. I was too busy, locked in a staring contest with a large male.

"Prolemuris," I murmured aloud to myself as the large male swung closer and twisted so that he was hanging upside down. Absently, I pulled out a Sweet Fruit and began to nibble on it. "Known to the Na'vi as _Syaksyuk_. A chattering, non-aggressive tree dweller that prefers the relative safety of the canopy to the dangers of the rainforest's floor. Similar to Earth's monkeys and Apes." The Prolemuris cooed at me, and made a small 'gimmie' gesture at my Sweet Fruit. I frowned, but obligingly broke a chunk off and held it out. The Pandoran primate snatched it from my hand and shoved it into its relatively small mouth as I continued softly.

"The Prolemuris has lateral membranes that grow out of its sides and between its lower arm and thigh." I eyed the dark-yellow-nearly-pale-orange membrane, and continued, handing the male some more Sweet Fruit when he gestured. "When it leaps from tree to tree, the wind catches in these membrane flaps and slows their rate of fall. This allows them to fall for more than twelve meters without risk or injury. They have hollow bones, and the density of their musculature and flesh is also porous, which makes them much lighter than they appear…Er, hello," I said, when the male decided to prove just how light he was by swinging down and curling around my body, clinging like a strange chimpanzee. His arms curled around my shoulders (except for the one that was constantly, beseechingly held out for more fruit), and his legs wrapped securely around my waist. Smiling placidly, I gave him half of the remains of the Sweet Fruit, taking a bite myself as my left arm hooked securely under him.

"Even the largest Prolemuris weigh less than six kilograms. The Prolemuris's ears are erect flaps that can move independently of one another in order to track sounds precisely. Its toes are webbed and have a vestigial thumb that helps them cling to branches. Its arms bifurcate below the humerus. They can reach up to one meter in height. It has large eyes with binocular vision, an apelike skull with a short snout, small nostrils and jaw, and needle-sharp teeth that are adapted to cut through tough Pandoran flora." _And an affection for Sweet Fruit_, I added as the Prolemuris cuddled against me, a sticky, purple-blue tongue uncurling from its mouth to lick the fruits juice from my face. I didn't twitch, and turned to stare at my comrades as he cooed and patted my braid carefully with child-like friendliness.

"Well?" I asked, smiling placidly as the Prolemuris turned his big head to rub his temple against my chin, large, circular eyes staring with innocent curiosity at the gobsmacked three. "Are you coming?" I asked, turning and swaying into the forest, my little primate-friend letting out an occasional hooting call after his pack. I heard the others hurry to catch up to me, and blinked twice, rapidly, when the Prolemuris started gnawing lightly on my collarbone. I turned my head awkwardly, bemused, and his ears twirled, eyes huge and doleful. I sighed.

I knew what he wanted.

"You only like me for my fruit," I told him, voice deadpan. He cooed and smacked his lips softly. I huffed, a small, amused smile curling my lips as I obligingly handed him an entire Sweet Fruit. He hooted, and was immediately echoed from above. With a heave of his body and a miniscule grimace of pain from me when his claws dug in a bit on my shoulders, the Prolemuris leaped back into the trees, treat securely held in his mouth as he swung away, followed by three of his hooting compatriots. I hummed, and shook my head, ear twitching back when someone stepped up beside me.

"You worry me," Grace told me with calm cheer, patting me on the shoulder before she stalked forward purposefully. Norm loped after her, and Jake came up to pad next to me as we trotted after them. I stayed near the Marine, because (A.) he had a gun, and some things would try to _**eat**_ me, and (B.) he was Jake. He needed supervision, or else he'd get into the strangest of situations… We bumped one another's shoulders with careful playfulness, Jake's attention locked on the world around us, my own attention split between watching my friend and listening to Eywa in case something dangerous started our way.

"Come on," Jake muttered, leading me past an enthralled and excited Norm and Grace, who were becoming swiftly absorbed in the elctro-nerve-system that seemed to connect all the plants of Pandora like the synapses of a human brain. Bemused, I followed my friend, watching his tail flick curiously, then shoot straight up as we both flinched when he brushed against a large red plant, which saw fit to shoot down with a loud _shloop!_

Ears and tail perked, I cautiously came to Jake's side, and he shot me a warning glance. I met his eyes, then deliberately, but carefully, reached out and tapped the nearest plant. Our ears both flicked forward, fascinated, when it followed the example of the first one and _shloop_'d away into the ground. Tail's curling in curiosity, Jake and I shared a glance, then looked over our shoulders back towards a happily oblivious Grace and Norm. After a few seconds, we looked at one another again. Jake's eyes glinted and a mischievous grin curled his lips, and a bemused but amused smirk curled my own.

Almost in unison, we twisted and started to tap and poke the surrounding plants, and almost immediately, the seemingly large field of flat, red-leafed plants that had surrounded us was just _gone_, with a echoing amunt of _schloop_ing. Jake laughed; so did I… until the startled Hammerhead Titanothere that had been grazing behind some of said flowers let it's displeasure known, the multicolored crest on its head flaring as it bellowed.

Eyes huge, I yelped as Jake yanked me back behind him, my ears pinning back as a surge of fear and adrenalin tried to drown me. (Stupid adolescent body, with its over-abundance of emotion!) He yanked his gun up as the Titanothere began to throw its tantrum, bellowing and trumpeting and tossing it's hammerhead about.

"What the hell is that thing?" Jake hissed at me while Grace shouted _'Don't shoot! You'll piss it off!'_ over the communications. I swallowed and clung to his arm, hissing back.

"Hammerhead Titanothere, called _Angtsìk_ by the Na'vi. It's approximately eleven meters long, which is almost twice the size of an elephant. A massive, grazing creature that travels in moderately large herds or packs of 10-20 animals. It's fairly social, but also extremely territorial and hierarchical. Constant threat displays, both visible and audible, are very common. When angered, which happens easily and very often, as you can tell, it'll will lower its head and charge at the perceived threat. When wanting to avoid battle, hammerheads will raise a large 'fan' of brightly colored feathers on the top of its head. Just like the one its got up right now."

"Sure as fuck doesn't _look_ like he wants to avoid a fight, squirt!" Jake snapped. "Give me something useful. Grace, I'm not gonna shoot the damn thing, but what do you want me to do, dance with it?" I let out a choked chuckle and watched nervously as the Titanothere continued its territorial display, tossing its head back as Jake lowered his gun and looked about.

"Don't run or he'll charge," Grace barked out, looking a little less worried now that the gun was lowered. I clutched Jake's arm.

"Noise," I blurted to him; he glanced back at me. "Can't run away, he'll charge. He doesn't want a confrontation, Jake. He's a _coward_," I hissed pointedly, meeting his eyes with my own wide, desperate ones, trying to control my new bodies instincts to cringe and cover sensitive ears as the Titanothere insisted on being so damn _loud._ Understanding lit Jake's face, and I released his arm as he ran forward, bellowing right back at the six-legged herbivore, waving his arms aggressively. The Titanothere roared, but quieted slightly, and began backing up, confused and frightened. I sighed as Jake yelled again, and it turned to run.

"Yeah, who's badass?" My friend yowled, grinning triumphantly, cocky with the victory. I breathed a sigh of relief, watching. "Get your punk-ass back to mama! You ain't got nothin'!" I opened my mouth, when a sound behind me, mixed with Eywa's sudden alarm echoing through my feet, had me spinning. I felt blood rush from my face and nearly fell in the sudden light-headedness.

"Jake," I said, swallowing; grinning confidently, he turned, and his smile vanished. The vicious, black, six-legged panther-creature, snarled softly from it's vantage point, and my Death Magic roiled in playful welcome in its presence. It leaped over us, towards the panicking and now definitely-fleeing Titanothere.

"Thanator," I choked out hoarsely as I started to carefully pull Jake back away from the snarling, deadly predator as it swiped half-heartedly at the Titanothere, who was hiding behind the much larger Alpha Bull of its herd. "Called _Palulukan_ by the Na'vi. Apex land-predator found so far on Pandora…" Jake swallowed as the Thanator turned, hissing in what could have been sadistic pleasure as it focused on us (but that could have been my imagination…?)

"So…Shoot?" Jake asked hesitantly.

"Run," Grace called, pale with panic. "Definitely run!" Cursing, Jake grabbed me and we were suddenly off, the Thanator letting out a blood-chilling screech of a hunting cry as it took chase, snarling. I struggled to keep up with Jake's longer legs, which he was using to his full advantage, leaping over bushes and logs with feline grace.

"_Palulukan,_" I gasped out, needing to concentrate on _something_ besides the feel of hot, fetid, rotten-meat-scent breath behind me. "Means 'dry mouth bringer of fear'. You know that? Doubt it!" I yelped as I ducked under one of the Thanator's swipes, and Jake fired some shots at the beast, not aiming, but making it back off a bit with a yowl of surprise, more at the sudden noise then for any hits, though.

"Go faster," Jake snapped at me; I nodded, shoving a chunk of Sweet Fruit into my mouth as we ran, chest heaving before Jake all but shoved me into the tiny opening in the roots under a tree. "Stay here!" He snarled, gold eyes glowing eerily as he took off immediately.

"Jake!" I cried, startled when a shadow swept over the opening; he shot at the Thanator, who'd leaped from the tree I was hiding under and lunged at him. I watched, terrified, as my friend took off again, the massive predator close behind. I remained there, huddled in the roots of the tree, for thirty minutes, before I asked Eywa.

Alive? I asked her, sending her pictures and impressions of Jake as I huddled in the chilly shade of the roots, eyes turning to slits as I nibbled on the rest of the Sweet Fruit I'd started on while running. She was silent for a few moments, then sent me back an affirmative, comforting pulse, and I let my relief flood us both.

Rest, she ordered me, and the roots shifted and curled more protectively. Smaller ones unfurled, coiling around my form. Rotten and decomposing plants softened and warmed the ground under me, and I obediently curled on my side, finishing my fruit as I curled there. I dozed, not sleeping, merely resting, as hours went by. Eywa sent a tendril of her presence to check on me every fifteen-or-so minutes, and I smiled every time she did, sending her impressions of warmth and gratitude. I watched the sun sink down over the horizon, and sighed, knowing I probably should have gone back to the helicopter and Grace, but Jake…

A snuffling at the opening of the roots had me freezing, adrenalin coiling and tightening the muscles in my stomach. I stilled, eyes half-lidded, muscles ready to move. A small, tapir-like creature that reminded me remarkably of a flea blinked at me dolefully, and Eywa sent me the impression of amusement. I winced and relaxed my entire body as one of the _only_ non-aggressive creatures on Pandora shuffled its placid way into my little haven, rooting, pig-like, in the rotten flora that had begun to glow weakly, eating whatever bugs it found. I huffed softly, eying it.

"Tapirus," I grumbled placidly as it settled its steady weight against me in order to eat, obviously prepared to wait the night out with me in my secluded root-cave. "Perfect prey animal for a majority of predators on Pandora. I believe you and your fellows are even on the menu back at Hell's Gate, my friend," I told the tan-and-plum-colored mammal. It snuffled and brushed my face with dirty, feeler-like, silk-soft quills, which reminded me of the whiskers of a catfish. I chuckled and cautiously lifted a hand to scratch it where its oval-shaped head met its short neck. It trilled soothingly, round, orange eye half-closing, and slumped against me like a fat dog getting its rump scratched. I chuckled in my usual, silent way.

Companion, Eywa told me suddenly; I blinked.

You sent? I asked; she sent an affirmative, and I frowned. Eywa had sent me a 'companion'. Why? Her answer was simple, easy.

Delicate, she told me. Need guide. Companion guide you to People. She sent me pictures of Jake's Avatar surrounded by Na'vi, and I blinked, shocked, then shook my head, chuckling silently. Of course Jake would end up in the heart of the Omaticaya, after being chased by the creature that even they were afraid of. Sighing, I sent a wave of gratitude towards my fellow entity, and she preened a bit before slipping away to concentrate on whatever a deity has to concentrate on.

That left me free to turn my attentions to the Tapirus. Humming, I dug a Sweet Fruit from my bag and tore it in half, feeding the suddenly eager, wiggly creature with bemusement as I ate the other half. I watched it as I chewed, lips pursing.

"You need a name," I told it calmly, checking it over. "Judging by the length of you tail and the middle toes on all six of your legs, you're male." He ignored me and kept blissfully chewing away on the Sweet Fruit, and I sighed softly, smiling. "You look like a Na'ney. That's a Na'vi name, yes? I saw it from when I was joined with Eywa the first time and nearly drowned. Na'ney was a warrior of the Omaticaya three centuries ago, you know," I told my ignorant audience, listening to him munch, now, on a hapless beetle. "From what I saw of his life, he was a gentle soul, but proud and honorable. You'll do well with it, yes?" I eyed him, and he harrumphed at me, flopped down, and rolled onto his back, snuggling firmly against me and into the warm, damp compost. I snorted and laid back.

"Goodnight, then, Na'ney," I muttered, patting his round stomach gently. He cooed and yawned, and I yawned as well, then scowled and stared up at the root-and-dirt ceiling patiently. I could force myself back into my original body, of course, but that didn't seem healthy… And now I had Na'ney to worry about, too. Tapirus are, like I said earlier, the perfect prey. They are like earth's bunny rabbits, tossed into a world where they have no speed or good hearing, surrounded by hungry wolves, foxes, and hawks.

Sighing softly, I slipped into a doze, and began to plan on how I would keep myself, and Na'ney, alive while we made our way to the Na'vi tomorrow. And when I found Jake…

I was going to beat the _shit_ out of him for shoving me under a bloody _tree_ and running off like that...

**A/N:** …

ALL CREATURES AND REFERENCES I GOT FROM AN ONLINE PANDORA SOURCE…

Some are from the game, just so you know.

GO NA'NEY! (Squee)

**_R&R_**


	4. Strange Metting

From Start to Finish

**A/N:** Hey, I'm back…

EVERYBODY MUST LUV NA'NEY!

It's a mandatory requirement for this story now.

I 3 Na'ney the Tapirus!

I owns nothing.

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and MAN!SEX

**Summary:** AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.

_**R&R!**_

**Chapter Three:**

**Strange Meeting**

When dawn came, I slid from my dozing to find Na'ney snuffling hopefully at my bag, orange eyes large and doleful, but still as placid as my own were most days. Bemused, I obligingly dug out a Sweet Fruit from my much-depleted bag, and tore it in half, feeding him some while eating the other. I'd have to find some more before too long, else I'd be in big trouble.

After finishing our fruit, we wriggled our way out of the root-cave, and I groaned, stretching my tall, lithe body as Na'ney snuffled around in the plants near the opening to the cave. He cooed and crunched on a root, eyes half-lidded, and I rolled my eyes. Sleep and eat. That was the extent of the Tapirus's day. Looking around, I saw some blue colored flowers coiled in smooth vines. Padding to them, I traced my fingers through them and sent my request to Eywa.

Instantly, the vines uncoiled, flowers attached, until I had about two feet of them. Nodding, I padded over to Na'ney and knelt, carefully wrapping the flowers-and-vines around his short neck like a collar. He snuffled, attempted to eat one of the flowers, but settled when I tapped him gently on the nose scoldingly in reply. Smiling, I sat back, eying him. He blinked at me, and sneezed, a soft, trumpeting sound that made me chuckle silently.

"Well, Na'ney," I said, amused. "You're supposed to guide me, yes?" He blinked at me. "Then guide me, if you would." He yawned, stood, shook himself, and started shuffling off. Shrugging, I dug out a Sweet Fruit and began to eat it as I dutifully followed the three-foot-tall creature. Today was going to be interesting. I just had a feeling…

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**

**(.)_(.)**

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

I sighed as I dove into the small, clear pool. The water was freezing, but refreshing and sweet-tasting compared to the disgusting chemical-filled water I had been forced to drink over the last few years. Na'ney slumped on a large rock nearby, sunbathing and napping. It was nearly noon and we were almost there, according to Eywa. We'd had to go the long way, opposed to the way Jake went (which apparently had something to do with jumping off a bloody _cliff_. The man has a death wish, I swear…), and so wouldn't reach the Omaticaya for another three, maybe four hours.

Meanwhile, I wanted something other then Sweet Fruit in my stomach, and dove down, swimming swiftly and cautiously as I watched the colorful and plentiful fish dart about. Sending out a tendril of magic, I found two who were about as long as my forearm (my Avatar's forearm), and twice as wide. Shooting forward, I grabbed them, struggling to keep a hold of them as I swam swiftly back up to the surface. Hurriedly, I dumped them on land and scrabbled out, grabbing the large rock I'd had prepared and murmuring the quick Na'vi prayer for their souls before smoothly crushing their skulls.

After that, I calmly used a smaller, much sharper rock to gut them both and de-scale them to the best of my ability (which is pretty good, considering the knack Eric and Jacob had discovered I had for cooking), and spitted them both on a stick. Them I started a small, hot fire on another large, flat rock and began to carefully cook my fish, humming as I did so. A rustling in the bushes as this happened had me stilling and Na'ney waking up, freezing when I looked at him. I peered down off the side of my rock, down to where the raw fish guts were piled.

Three small, young black creatures, lithe and dog-like with the usual six-legs, snapped and yipped softly at one another as they tore at the fish guts. _Viperwolf,_I thought, looking up to see a much larger version of them slink forward, her eyes going from the pups to me and back, wary. _Called __**Nantang**__ by the Na'vi. Has six legs, a lean, powerful torso, and has evolved to travel swiftly over long distances to search for prey. Almost always travel in packs,_ I mentally added as three more Viperwolves, all male, slid out of the grass, growling at me as they took up a protective stance near the female. The pups began to drag the fish guts toward their mother, obviously pleased with their successful "hunt" of the guts. My lips curled as I turned my back slowly on them, watching from the corner of my eye and listening with my ears as I turned my fish to cook evenly.

_When in these packs,_ I silently continued, watching the female cautiously creep forward to scoop up the last of the guts and pad back to her waiting pack members. _They can form a highly cooperative hunting party within seconds of finding prey. Only months after birth, Viperwolf cubs are required to hunt on their own. However, they grow and mature swiftly, and reach half of an adult's size by six months old. By then, they also have their full set of teeth and their jaw muscles are almost fully mature. They are extremely playful,_ I mused as one tackled another and both rolled into their mother, mouths still full of guts as they let out muffled yips and growls. Movement behind me had me turning my head carefully, tail twitching and curling as I carefully lifted my fish from the fire.

Across the pool, a Na'vi crouched on another flat rock, bow-and-arrow in hand, watching the Viperwolves carefully. I frowned at the young male, who looked to be a little younger then my Avatar, and slowly shook my head, turning to find the female watching me, or, more importantly, my fish. Carefully, moving slowly, I pulled one off and slid it off my rock. Before it could hit the ground, she had lunged forward, snapping the still-warm fish up and crunching away on it. When half of it was gone, she dropped the rest, and the still too-young (apparently) cubs lunged at it themselves, guts now all gone into slightly-bulging bellies. Mother Viperwolf turned her gaze on my remaining fish, and I shook my head.

_**(A/N:**__ Na'vi language will be ~"Blah"~ Okay? Just clarifying…__**)**_

~"Forgive me, Mother,"~ I told her in Na'vi softly, soothingly, and carefully took a bite. I chewed and swallowed. ~"This is my meal, as you and your pups have managed half of it already."~ I smiled placidly, and she yipped, leaping gracefully up onto the rock to sniff and growl at me. I frowned at her and growled back lowly. The vermilion and iridescent blue that banded her hairless black body caught the light, and I couldn't help but admire it for a moment…

She stilled, head cocking to the side at my growl, and her next growl was questioning. Suddenly, dull in the bright sun, the bioluminescent patterns of spots flickered and glimmered to life. I eyed them, then glanced at the curious male Viperwolves, who had also began to let their spots glow, pups following instinctively. Eying the pattern, I felt a tingling in my skin as my own spots shifted accordingly, before I focused on them.

From the corner of my eye, I caught their faint glowing from the ones on my cheeks and around my eyes. She eyed me, and I eyed her, and then she relaxed and let out a welcoming croon, paddle-like tail wagging as they allowed their spots to die down, my own following suit immediately. I murmured to her softly in Na'vi and smiled as one of the pups scrabbled up and set about attacking my tail.

Calmly, I went back to eating my fish, moving my tail from the pup's reach every so often, as the Viperwolves made themselves comfortable around me. Strangely, I noticed, none paid Na'ney any attention, and the Tapirus soon went back to sleep. I turned my head and gave a small nod toward my shell-shocked Na'vi watcher, and smiled faintly, bemused, when he darted away into the trees and disappeared. I had the feeling I'd be seeing him and others soon…

After an hour of resting, and playing with the pups, the Viperwolves left me, and Na'ney and I headed on our way. As we padded, side-by-side, though the trees, Eywa sent me an impression of fond, exasperated amusement, and pictures of the Na'vi youth from before, with a slightly younger male and a female around his own age, stalking me from the trees. I blinked, smiling placidly down at Na'ney, who was snuffling through the ground as we walked.

~"Must you always eat, my friend?"~ I asked, bemused; he snorted, pulled his feelers from the ground, and gave me large, placid orange eyes, before going right back to it. I chuckled silently, shaking my head. ~"As you wish,"~ I told him, rubbing my head when a faint headache began. Immediately, I reached into my bag and pulled out a Sweet Fruit, nibbling carefully on it with a sigh. After the fish, it was a refreshing, delicious taste, and I began to hum my usual lullaby-tune as we walked. After an hour, though, I decided it was time to meet my little followers. Smiling placidly, I turned and walked backwards, tail out for balance, and pointed at the older males hiding spot.

~"I See You,"~ I greeted him, and said the same as I pointed at the girl, then the younger male. Humming, I stopped walking, and Na'ney obligingly stopped with me, pleased when I dropped the last quarter of my Sweet Fruit for him to eat. After a few seconds, the three youths swung down, watching me warily, suspiciously, and I smiled placidly at them.

~"You are not Omaticaya,"~ the older male snapped; I cocked my head, tail curling in amusement.

~"No,"~ I agreed. ~"I am Dream-Walker, Demon, whatever you wish to call me."~ I smiled as all three immediately had their bows up, arrows pointed unerringly at my heart. ~"I am searching for my Brother, Jake Sully,"~ I told them. I gestured to my Tapirus companion, who let out a strange, woofing sound. ~"Na'ney said he would guide me to the Omaticaya, as that is where Jake is at this time."~ They looked confused, staring for a second at the Tapirus, then back at me.

"What you mean?" The girl asked in accented, struggling English. I gave her a small, warm, placid smile for the effort.

"Na'ney said he'd guide me," I said, shrugging. I reached down and scratched his neck, making him croon and slump against my legs, orange eyes closing in bliss. "That's why he found me last night; that's why he's here. Eywa sent him, is my belief." I hummed at him, smiling slightly when he snuffled at my hand happily, before I turned my eyes back to the teens (for teenagers they were) only to see them staring at something behind and above me in shocked awe. I blinked and looked carefully over my shoulder…

Blinking, I stared blankly at the white, dandelion-seed-looking, jellyfish-moving things. _Woodsprites_, I thought, startled when one landed on my head. Eywa let a pleased, smug thrum thrill through my energy softly as more began to land on me. Carefully, I held my arms out so that they could land better, blinking twice, rapidly, when one attempted to land on my nose and slid slowly downward instead.

~"Atokirina,"~ I murmured softly, awed myself. They were the 'seeds of Eywa', beings of purity and light. I wondered, briefly, where they all came from, before carefully glancing down to see some had landed on Na'ney as well. A giggle bubbled and escaped me as he snuffled at me, confused. He looked ridiculous, and Eywa gave me a pulse of amusement when I sent her a pulse of my own.

~"A sign from Eywa,"~ the younger boy managed, looking unnerved. ~"For a Dream-Walker…"~ They eyed me, lowering their bows, and reluctantly put their arrows away. The older boy swallowed.

"We take you to Clan," he finally announced, grimacing. "We tell them what we see. You find Jakesully. These Eywa's wishes." I nodded cautiously, and looked down at Na'ney. He snuffled, turned, and began to trot sedately away, the seeds swirling up from his back and moving towards me. Carefully, I began to follow him, the three teenagers following. I watched as the seeds lifted and swirled around me, but never went far, occasionally landing on me or brushing against me skin. They were soft, and felt like dandelion fluff…

Three hours of walking, the Teenagers silent the entire way, and the massive Hometree came into view. I paused, sucking in a sharp breath, and merely took in the sight.

~"Beautiful,"~ I sighed after a moment, smiling softly as I did so. Na'ney crooned, stood on his hind legs, and put his front four legs on my own, peering up at me and patting at me with his feelers. I hummed and scratched his neck.

~"Friend, you need not leave now that your task is complete,"~ I told him, smiling placidly. ~"I am fond of you, and so you can stay with me. We are friends in Eywa's eyes, companions of the Heart, yes?"~ He trilled and nuzzled against my hand, sighing with his eyes closed, and I chuckled, before looking up when shouting started. The teens had moved ahead, and had gotten the attention of several adults. I once again found myself under arrow-point, until I was covered, nearly head-to-toe, in the Woodsprites. I shifted as murmuring started and cleared my throat hesitantly, a softly, nervously trilling Na'ney pressing against a bare spot of my leg as the Woodsprites who would have landed there covered him.

"I am looking for Jake Sully," I said cautiously in English, tilting a bit so I could lay my hand on Na'ney's head comfortingly. "My name's Jayden…" There was movement, and a middle-aged Na'vi woman pushed her way forward, her face shocked as she took in the Woodsprites covering my form. My tail wanted to sway nervously, but I held it still when the feather-light weight of the 'sprites landed on it.

She walked slowly forward, swaying with the grace of the Na'vi, and I looked up at her when she stopped, my gaze watchful but placid. Red braided cloth dripped down in front of her ears, connected to a headband, and connected to both pieces, under her chin, was a sheath with a small, needle-sharp blade, which she removed. I took a careful breath as the Woodsprite over my heart shifted to the side to clear a space, and my ears flinched back when the Na'vi woman immediately pricked me. She carefully licked the blood from the tool, eying me cautiously after blinking twice, rapidly.

"You look for Jakesully," she said carefully. I nodded carefully, and the Woodsprites suddenly began to spiral up into the air and away. The Na'vi woman stared down at me, and I stared up at her. _Mo'at,_ I thought silently. _Spiritual leader and mate of the leader of the Omaticaya…_ Eywa sent a tendril of calm, soothing energy through me, and some of the tension that had been gathering in my body melted away.

~"I See You,"~ I said softly, cautiously; Mo'at watched me silently, then nodded.

~"I See You, too,"~ she greeted me back, then, gesturing that I follow her, she turned and started back through the crowd, who moved out of her way. I obeyed, Na'ney pressing against my leg, trilling softly. I murmured to him, humming softly, and glanced back, startled, when someone grabbed my tail and just as quickly released it. That was… creepy. My ears twitched back, then forward curiously as I lengthened my stride to catch up to the taller woman.

"What is your age, child?" Mo'at asked me as she walked; I blinked and told her the age of my Avatar. Her head jerked and she glanced back at me, startled. I blinked back at her, slightly confused, and she shook her head. "Are you, too, a warrior like Jakesully?" I shook my head carefully.

"I am not like my brother," I told her carefully, blinking when Na'ney let out a little shrill shriek of alarm when one of the children attempted to touch him. Immediately, I dropped to one knee and stroked a hand down his trembling body, cooing and crooning, murmuring to him in Na'vi, calming him as I watched the small child from the corner of my eye.

She was young, maybe five or six years old, and was now wide-eyed and clutching onto the leg of a Na'vi woman who was probably her mother. I smiled placidly, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, which was rather easy when Na'ney decided to knock me down and nuzzle my face. I chuckled softly and scratched his neck, making him go limp and croon.

~"Would you like to pet Na'ney?"~ I asked the little girl softly, smiling. ~"He is really quite kind, but he get's scared easily. It is alright, little one,"~ I murmured to her and Na'ney both as the girl cautiously crept forward. I felt eyes glaring into my skull, some filled with hatred, some curiosity, some wariness. Mo'at watched with steady, silent patience as the little girl set her four-fingered hand on the plum-and-tan side of my little Tapirus. I smiled and set my larger hand next to hers hearing gasps as they saw it, and showed the little girl where to scratch to make Na'ney wiggle. She giggled, and I pulled my hands back to watch her take over, her gold eyes bright and eager, full of happiness as she turned a beautiful smile towards me.

I smiled softly in return, and carefully nudged the blissful Na'ney from my lap so I could stand. The Tapirus reluctantly got to his feet, shaking himself out, and waved his feelers against the girls face, making her squeal and giggle, running to clutch her mothers leg and hide her face, giggling happily. I chuckled, patted my Tapirus on the head, before sending Mo'at an apologetic but placid look. She gave me a faintly-amused smile, turned and continued on her way to the massive Hometree. Quickly, I followed, a nearly-skipping Na'ney at my side. More Na'vi touched us as we passed, but we were both able to ignore it better now, and, when we reached the Hometree, it was to the sight of the chieftain of the Omaticaya standing, stony-faced and watchful, next to an angry-looking young warrior.

~"_Another_ Dream-Walker, my Mate?"~ The Chieftain asked with a hint of exasperated anger in his voice. This was Eytukan, and so the angry young warrior, who looked to be only a handful of years older then my Avatar, with his high-braid and bead-wrapped neck, must be Eytukan's heir, Tsu'tey. I stood before them and remained silent, Na'ney panting lightly as he leaned against my leg, feelers tapping my calves curiously as he watched them with eyes as placid and serene as my own. Tsu'tey gnashed his teeth and looked like he'd eaten or smelled something nasty, something that did _not_ look well on his rather handsome and well-defined face.

~"This is Jaa'dyn, brother of Jakesully,"~ Mo'at said simply coolly, watching her Mate as her tail curled and flicked in faint exasperation. ~"Eywa has blessed his coming here with the _Atokirina_."~ I inclined my head cautiously when Eytukan turned assessing eyes on me.

~"I See You, sir,"~ I said politely, using formal inflections. Na'ney sneezed his trumpeting sneezing and blinked, snuffling. ~"This is my companion, Na'ney,"~ I introduced, leaning down to pat his head. ~"He guided me safely here."~ All three looked startled at that, and Tsu'tey looked more then disbelieving as he eyed the Tapirus, who straightened and stuck his feelers up towards them, as if waving, before he went back to leaning contentedly against me.

~"Eywa blessed him?"~ Eytukan finally asked, reluctantly; Mo'at nodded.

~"It is in even his blood, my Mate,"~ she said seriously; the Chieftain sighed after a few seconds, grimacing a little in distaste.

"Jaa'dyn," he began sharply; I ducked my head respectfully and watched him with calm, placid eyes. He seemed a bit unnerved, but continued. "You may learn as Jakesully learns. If you are to understand, is different. Tsu'tey," he turned. ~"You will teach him."~ The young warrior looked morally offended and I bit back a small wince as he began to refuse. An unwilling teacher is worse then an unwilling student. Mo'at snapped at him, and he snarled, growling in frustration, but silent. I shared a half-lidded look with Na'ney, and was nearly downed by a sudden, sharp wave of dizziness. I grunted, caught myself on my Tapirus friend's shoulder, and stared at the pale pallor to my blue hand. I grimaced and dug a Sweet Fruit from my bag, and, carefully sitting down, began to eat it, ignoring the startled, disbelieving stares I was getting. I sighed, eyes half-closing, and blinked slowly when Mo'at was suddenly crouched in front of me, eyes concerned.

"Child," she said carefully. "What makes you ill?" I blinked at her and swallowed my bite.

"I was sick before coming to this body," I told her, wincing slightly. "That is why I had no weapon. My brother was to protect me, but the Palulukan separated us, and I got lost. Then Na'ney said he'd lead me to Jake, so here I am." I shrugged. "The healers say I must eat one of these every hour, but I am almost out," I sighed, munching on the Sweet Fruit. "I have weak energy, and will get steadily weaker and hurt very badly if I do not eat these," I told her. We'd discovered this the second day in Avatar, when the scientists decided to see if I could go longer then an hour without the fruit. I got steadily more delirious, fevered, and finally fell into extremely painful seizures. It was believed that, in that state, the weaker I was allowed to get, the lower the chances of me getting back to my human body from my Avatar.

In short, if my Avatar died from lack of Sweet Fruit, _**I**_ died…

Well, that's what they believed, of course. I had no doubt Eywa would find a way to shove me back into my human body, if it was still alive, that was. Mo'at was looking even more alarmed and concerned now, and placed one of her slightly-larger-then-mine hands on my forehead. I blinked at her, and hummed as I continued to chew my fruit.

~"How can I teach him to be Na'vi if he cannot be a warrior?"~ Tsu'tey snapped; I blinked as Mo'at reared back like a snake and hissed furiously at him, making him take a startled step back. My own ears pinned back and I stilled carefully, watching her with slightly-wide eyes as she glared, growling faintly, at Tsu'tey. Then I blinked, and took another bite of Sweet Fruit, humming softly and focusing on the fruit as she stood and stalked over to Tsu'tey, hissing something at him. He growled, but ducked his head in consent. I swallowed the last of my Sweet Fruit and blinked as Na'ney began to lick the juice from my fingers, watching him, bemused.

~"You can be very strange sometimes, Na'ney,"~ I told him; he trilled, cooing as he finished and let me use his back to push myself to my feet. I brushed dust from the seat of my army shorts, looking up at the three Na'vi cautiously. Mo'at looked placated as she stood a little less then an arms-length away from Eytukan, and Tsu'tey looked like he would be pouting, if it were not unfitting of a Na'vi warrior.

"May I see my brother now?" I asked cautiously; Mo'at shot Tsu'tey a look, and Eytukan nodded in reply. The young warrior growled and stalked off, tail lashing in anger, and I blinked, glanced at the two leaders of the Omaticaya, and hurriedly loped after him, Na'ney remaining behind to follow Mo'at around for the day for some reason.

Tsu'tey led me toward some massive, grazing, horse-like creatures. I blinked, eying them warily. Okay, as a human, horses worried me because I was short. As a Na'vi, I was _still_ short, and they still worried me. So, how do you think I felt when the young, angry warrior turned and gave me a sneer and gestured to the massive creatures.

"Pa'li," he growled roughly; I blinked slowly and watched as he took his braid, and the nerve filaments hidden safely inside emerged to lock with those in the 'nerve-whip' of the Direhorse (as we humans called them). "You must use _tsaheylu_, the bond, and to give direction. What you know, Pa'li knows." That being said, he nimbly swung himself up onto the Direhorse and made it trot forward a few meters, its six leg moving smoothly. He gave me a smug, impatient sneer, and my eyes half-lidded in my own form of irritation, tail lashing slightly once, before I turned my attention on the remaining creatures.

Picking one, I walked towards it, clucking my tongue softly when it looked at me. It snorted softly, nerve-whip filaments wriggling towards me in curiosity, and I took my braid, my queue, as the Na'vi called it, and cautiously connected it. Instantly, we both stilled and assimilated. I took in a deep breath, and the Pa'li did it at the same time, the operculi on its neck allowing more air to be inhaled. We let those breaths out at the same time, and I closed my eyes, stroking the Pa'li's neck gently.

It was, in a way, similar to the way Eywa and I spoke. There were no words, only impressions, feelings, smells, tastes, and things like that. I now knew that there had been a Thanator near the western field (wherever that was) four weeks ago. That the water in a nearby stream was sweet and good. That the nectar in some flowers a mile north were the best this Pa'li had tasted in a month. That three females of this Pa'li's herd were with babe, and that one of them was this Pa'li's own.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes and gently, soothingly, sent the impression of what I wanted. The Pa'li snorted, turned its' head, and butted me lightly. I frowned lightly. I sensed his vague amusement at my request, and his denial, but I wasn't mad. It wasn't right to ask such a proud creature to crouch, anyways. Sighing, I carefully scrabbled up his side, ungraceful and perhaps overly-cautious. I patted him on the shoulder.

~"I know I'm short,"~ I told the seemingly snickering Direhorse. ~"No need to mock me, friend."~ I looked up at the scowling and impatient Tsu'tey on his now antsy Pa'li, who was reacting to his emotions, and inclined my head with a placid smile. He sneered, turned his Pa'li around, and was off. I sent my Pa'li the request to follow, and held tight with my legs as we surged over the ground, his six-legs working in perfect unison to make him immensely nimble and fast, as we sped after the warrior. I sucked in a sharp breath, and found myself closing my eyes and sinking into the Pa'li through the _tsaheylu_, until it was hard to tell us apart, and I could see through his eyes.

It was nearly like flying again…

In thirty minutes, maybe less, we were at a strange training ground, in time to watch as Jake went sprawling in the mud off the back of his own Pa'li. A pretty, female Na'vi who looked a year or two my Avatar's senior looked exasperated and amused, and Jake scowled, swiping mud off his face as I carefully undid my queue and, wincing, slid down from my Pa'li's back as Tsu'tey leaped from his own. I was _so_ going to be saddle-sore in the morning…

"I knew you could speak English," Jake said, pointing at Tsu'tey, who had apparently been mocking him. I huffed, eyes narrowing as the warrior sneered and my friend didn't even notice me yet. I started forward, tail slowly starting to lash.

"I bring your brother, Jakesully," Tsu'tey snapped. "You should be happy." The female looked at me, confused, and Jake, looking equally confused, turned. Then, his eyes went huge and, with a shout, he lunged at me, scooped me up, and spun me around.

"Jayden!" He cried, quickly setting me down and immediately checking me head-to-toe for injuries. "Are you alright? Are you hungry? Where the hell were you? When you didn't come back to your body last night, everyone freaked out! I was so worried and…" He trailed off as I watched him, narrow-eyed, tail lashing steadily. "Jayden? Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked nervously. I reared back and punched him, knocking him flat with a startled cry. He stared up at me, cupping his cheek with a hand, eyes huge. I growled, tail lashing as my body began to shake.

"The last thing I saw of you," I ground out, "was that Palulukan chasing you. You _shoved me under a tree and __**LEFT ME**_!" I bellowed, furious for some reason, and unable to stop myself. (Discovered something just then, though! New body meant undamaged vocal cords, which meant that yelling _was_ possible, in _this_ body, at least…) Jake was getting slowly, carefully to his feet, watching me. His cheek was swelling already, and he looked like he'd have a black eye. Good.

"I waited for _hours_ for you to come back," I hissed, clutching at my arms to keep from attacking him again just yet. "I waited and waited and then it was night and I was too scared to sleep. I thought you were _dead_ Jake," I hissed, pained suddenly. "Then this damn strange Tapirus comes out of no-where and starts talking _in my head_," I lied through my teeth easily, "about how you're safe and sound with the Omaticaya, and how he'll lead me to you. Do you have _any_ _**idea **_what kind of night and day I've had?" I slumped, suddenly drained, and closed my eyes, tiredly reaching for a Sweet Fruit, only to scowl as Jake carefully pulled me into a hug. I pushed and smacked at his arms, wiggling half-heartedly.

"Stop that," I complained. "I'm still mad at you." I scowled. ~"Moron,"~ I grumbled; he choked out a laughed, hiding his face in my neck.

"I'm sorry," he said cautiously, quietly; I stilled, then let out an explosive sigh.

"Yeah, well," I grumbled, finally getting a fruit out. "Don't do it again or I'll cut your tail off. Understand?" I huffed and poked him in the forehead when he pulled back, looking relieved. "Now introduce me to your pretty teacher," I ordered easily, munching on my fruit. I felt serene and relaxed and placid, and turned all that on the staring Tsu'tey and the pretty girl next to him.

"Jayden," Jake said, gesturing, "Meet Neytiri, my teacher. Neytiri, meet Jayden." I smiled placidly at her.

"I apologize ahead of time for my brothers stupidity," I told her bluntly. ~"Sometimes his brain is too small to use properly,"~ I added with a wink; she grinned and Tsu'tey smirked slightly. It looked _much_ better on him then the anger and sneer did… Jake looked at me blankly, then his eyes narrowed.

"You just insulted me, didn't you?" He asked; I blinked innocently up at him.

"What else would I do, Jake dear?" I asked; growling, he tackled me and we rolled around, wrestling and laughing, as we tried to cover the others face in mud (I won, mostly because Jake didn't want to be too hard on me and I got tired quickly). We stopped minutes later, both muddy, panting, and grinning (in Jakes case, 'cause I couldn't quite grin yet), with me sprawled mostly on top of him, tail flicking happily.

"Jayden – eight," I announced, panting harder then Jake, who was already beginning to get his wind back. "Jake – three. You're falling behind, brother," I told him, smirking weakly as I tiredly rolled off him and staggered to my feet, nearly falling again. I would have, if Neytiri hadn't grabbed my arm. I paused and flashed her a small, hesitant smile, and gratefully straightened before wearily pulling out another Sweet Fruit, now slightly bruised but otherwise unharmed.

Tsu'tey was scowling, looking my mud-covered body up-and-down in barely hidden disgust, and I bit back a chuckle. My warrior-teacher was a neat freak. Brilliant…

This was going to get interesting.

**A/N:** There, longer then normal.

_**R&R**_


	5. Fire Light & Lab Time

From Start To Finish

**A/N:** So many Reviews, so much delight in reading them!

**_PLEASE SEND MORE!_**

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and MAN!SEX

**Summary:** AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.

**_R&R_**

**Chapter Four:**

**Fire Light & Lab Time**

I sighed in happy relief as I slowly sank my Avatar into the hot water of the spring, eyes closing blissfully as the little aches of the day were soothed. Jake hissed in discomfort as he slid in next to me, and a small smirk curled my lips. The Marine was covered in small abrasions and cuts, not to mention the bruises, from being constantly tossed from his Pa'li, Pale. He sent me a half-hearted glower, and we began to swiftly, but carefully, unbraid our queues as Tsu'tey and a few other male Na'vi joined us.

Once my own queue was undone, I shivered at the strange feeling of the nerve-tendrils wriggling freely in the water. I blinked twice, rapidly, and pushed the feeling away as I set about getting rid of the mud that caked my body, snickering as Jake did the same. The water remained strangely clear and clean in the dying sunlight, the aquatic plants beginning to glow as the sun set. I wondered if the multicolored plants ate the mud before it could darken the water… It would make some sense.

Tilting my head, I ducked my head under water, gingerly working my fingers through it as I held my breath, until I had all the mud and the worse of the tangles out. Than I pulled my head up with a huge, fake gasp (Remember, I don't _technically,_ need to breath… **(A/N:** Oh, the possibilities… XP**)**), letting it out with a sigh as Jake stared at me, hands paused on his own hair.

"…Were you holding your breath that whole time?" He asked in disbelief; I gave him a serene look, getting some dirt off of my left foot.

"No," I told him, voice deadpan. "I was using my nifty set of gills. I keep them for just that sort of occasion, you know." He stared at me, as if he wasn't completely sure if I wasn't telling the truth, then shook his head, muttered to himself, and went back to work… I paused, watching him try, unsuccessfully, to get the mud out of his hair, and rolled my eyes.

~"Hopeless,"~ I muttered, and repeated it in English as I finished my own body and forced him to turn, so I could help him with his hair, gingerly avoiding his nerve-tendrils, or untangling them from his hair when I came upon them. He scowled but let me, relaxing as he went about finishing the rest of his body, and I finished his hair, having him duck under a time or two to get it wet again. Once it was dirt-free, I gently, smoothly braided it for him, and he flashed me a grin before frowning at my hair.

"I can't braid," he said; I blinked, ears flinching, startled, when unknown hands started on my hair. I glanced back cautiously, to find an unknown Na'vi nearly absent-mindedly braiding my hair for me, with expert, efficient movements. I focused on Jake, who watched, tail lifting up behind him in curiosity. When the unknown Na'vi, who looked a few years older then Tsu'tey, finished braiding my hair, I turned and flashed a smile at him, and in return he nodded.

~"I See You, Jaa'dyn of the Jarhead Clan."~ He greeted; I ducked my head.

~"I See You,"~ I greeted back, and gave him and curious tilt of my head. He smiled slightly.

~"I am Kirrir,"~ he told me; I smiled.

~"Thank you, then, Kirrir of the Omaticaya Clan,"~ I told him. ~"I am grateful."~ he shrugged and turned, showing his unbraided hair, so I obligingly braided it for him. When finished, he gave Jake and I a nod, then left the pool. I shook my head, turning bemused eyes on Jake, who frowned, squirming after a few moments under my stare.

"What?" He finally complained; I chuckled silently, pulling myself onto the edge of the spring so that I could gently rub at pulsing muscles in my legs. I'd done too much walking, then riding…

"Clan Jarhead?" I murmured, and was amused to see him flush a darker blue and scowl up at me, shifting and wincing when his tense and sore muscles ached. I huffed and dropped my foot, gesturing for him to move towards me. The remaining males in the spring, including Tsu'tey, watched, curious and confused, as Jake sat on the rock between my legs, and I began to rub his shoulders with calm, firm efficiency.

Immediately, his eyes widened, then glazed and he slumped, those glazed eyes becoming half-lidded as a deep, rumbling near-purr pulled from his throat. I smirked and worked at the knots in his muscles idly, turning my head when the strange, ticklish-but-familiar feeling of silk-soft quills licked up my wet back.

~"Hello, Na'ney,"~ I greeted warmly; the Tapirus crooned, nuzzling my lower back before padding past me. I smiled as, with a wriggle of his large butt, the Tapirus, who had looked like he was going to jump into the spring, merely stepped down onto a rock that was barely an inch under, and laid down, trilling with half-closed eyes at the warmth. I shook my head and hummed as I continued to rub Jakes back, shoulders, neck, and then head.

~"What are you doing to him?"~ Tsu'tey finally demanded, moving so that he was crouched near me, dripping water even as his tail flicked and curled, raised up behind him as it and his ears perked in curiosity. I blinked, taking in his naked form with a tranquil gaze.

~"I am helping ease his pain,"~ I told him simply, eyes turning to focus on Jake's queue so that they didn't scour over the Na'vi's muscular, dripping body (And didn't _that_ bring up…_interesting_…pictures, eh?). ~"I am rubbing pain from his muscles, so that he will not be stiff and unable to move correctly tomorrow. He has more lessons, after all, and Neytiri will need him at his best if she is going to get anything into his thick skull."~ I tapped said skull twice, gently, with my knuckles, smiling genially as Jake made a sleepy 'huh?' and leaned back, looking up at me with glazed gold eyes. He'd fallen asleep.

"Up and out, brother-mine," I told him, amused when he scowled childishly. "We have dinner, then bed. Unlike you, _**I**_ haven't slept at all, and am looking forward to bed," I added, actually managing a true yawn. Instantly, guilt flashed through his eyes, and Jake got up out of my lap and sheepishly pulled me to my feet. I let out a sharp, chirruping whistle, and Na'ney snorted and shook water from his legs and stomach, hopping up the rocks to come to my side. I introduced him to Jake easily as we got dressed in the Na'vi standard loincloth, pausing to smirk, amused, as Jake stood in his own, obviously uncomfortable.

"Of course _you're_ comfortable," he complained as I shook silently with chuckles. "You'd rather walk around naked then with any clothes on at all!" I gave him a placid smile.

"That's because clothes make my skin hurt," I deadpanned. "Come on, Jake," I said, moving and bumping my shoulder lightly into his as I draped my bag across my chest. Tsu'tey stood nearby, dressed and scowling, next to an also dressed and faintly damp Neytiri. Instantly, Jake huffed and swatted at me, and I ducked and tugged his tail. He hissed and moved to retaliate when Neytiri snarled.

~"Children,"~ she complained, glaring. ~"Like babies, both of you!"~ Jake looked at me, and I pinned my ears back in response. His pinned back instantly and he looked sheepish, ducking his head.

"Sorry Neytiri," he said, though he didn't know what he was apologizing for, exactly; Tsu'tey gave me a look, arms crossed impatiently over his chest. My tail twitched.

~"I apologize for my childish behavior, Tsu'tey,"~ I dutifully said, voice soothing and serene as I stared at him, eyes half-closing. He nodded once, sharply, and our Na'vi teachers turned and led the way toward the large communal fire where we could eat. Everything quieted as Jake and I arrived, and I elbowed Jake when he opened his mouth to say something. I gave him a small, stern look, and he closed his mouth, tail lashing slowly in irritation, but he remained silent. Carefully, I followed Neytiri and Tsu'tey, hesitating when the female Na'vi stopped, before Tsu'tey gestured impatiently that I follow him. I continued on, looking back in time to watch Jake be pulled down to sit next to his teacher as I obediently followed my own.

I was proud to say that, unlike Jake, I had yet to step on a single tail or toe.

Tsu'tey finally sat, four or five people to the right of Eytukan, and I carefully sat in the small space provided for me between him and a muscular, scarred Na'vi who glared coldly down at me. I met his stare, and held his eyes, my own half-lidded, until he finally blinked and looked away. I continued to stare, until he glanced back, then scowled and looked away again.

Satisfied, I turned my attention on Tsu'tey, and waited patiently as the ritual and usual prayers for Eywa's blessing went on, before food was passed around. When the Na'vi girl with the food gave Tsu'tey and the warrior their food, but would have passed over me, Tsu'tey hissed. Startled, she stared at him, wide-eyed. He pointed at me, and I blinked at her, and she reluctantly held out the bowl shish-kebabs. I carefully plucked one out, the same amount as Tsu'tey and the warrior, and murmured my thanks in Na'vi. She grimaced in disgust at me, sneered, and moved away. I watched her, tail lashing slowly, carefully, before I forced it to still in order to carefully examine my shish-kebab.

I recognized the curled, shrimp/grub-like forms of the _Teylu_, a sweet, insect full of protein. Also, a few different kinds of vegetables, and what looked like some Hexapede, or _Yerik_ as the Na'vi knew them (a pretty, deer-creature that multiplied _**faster**_ then Earth rabbits… If that is _possible_). It smelled good so, as Tsu'tey and the warrior had already begun eating, I did so as well, humming quietly to myself as I did so, only stopping when Tsu'tey gave me a strange look.

I blinked at him, and paused mid-chew on a vegetable. He shook his head and went back to his meal, and I returned to mine, content to eat in silence, though I wistfully wished for some music… As if reading my thoughts, a young Na'vi girl a little ways to my left, a few years my Avatar's junior, finished the last of her meal and eagerly pulled out a strange shaped woody stem, something called a Cat's Ear, or _Pamtseowll_, a musical children's toy, and began to blow on it.

Instantly, a sweet tune curled through the air and I purred, pausing to send her a warm smile and close my eyes, just listening. The warrior grumbled, finished his meal, and stood abruptly, stalking away. Given a little more room now, I shifted my weight, and started on one of the curled forms of the _Teylu_, humming softly with the girl's music as a few older Na'vi joined her on different, plant-made instruments. Tsu'tey finished his meal and turned to impatiently watch me, as if he could will me to eat faster by staring, but I didn't speed up. My body swayed with the tune, tail curled and flicking in time, and I ate with a kind of unfocused care. Since food was something I didn't technically need either (except for the Sweet Fruit, that is), I merely enjoyed the different flavors and textures as they passed my tongue and teeth, and enjoyed the music more.

Finally, when I was finished, I sighed and set down my kebab-stick, smiling slightly and just closing my eyes, ears twisting to get the best of the music. Tsu'tey hissed, impatient, and jabbed me with his own stick. My eyes snapped opened and my tail shot up, and I bit back a snarl, teeth glinting in the fire light, eyes narrowing to slits as my body stiffened instantly. Startled by the sudden change, he stilled himself, staring at me warily. No doubt, he was remembering the training yard, and how I'd thrown a punch that had sent Jake, who was much bigger and stronger then my Avatar body was, to the ground. We eyed one another, then I relaxed and gave him a placid smile.

~"Bed?"~ I asked him, as a yawn split my face. I blinked twice, sheepishly, and stood when he did. I wiggled my fingers at the young girl playing the Cat Ear, smiling at her as I padded after him towards the Hometree. He led me inside the massive, hollowed-out plant, and up the colossal, winding vines, until we reached a certain area. Then he led me back out into the night onto a thick branch. This branch was shaded heavily by thick foliage above, and hammock-like leaves of nearly-spider-web-material hung suspended. Na'vi lay inside them, tugging the curling sides lightly whenever they wanted the almost pod-like leaves to curl closed around them.

Tsu'tey paused and pushed me towards one, climbing in the one next to it. Taking the hint, I watched how he climbed into his, before getting into mine in a much less graceful way. The swaying made me a little nervous, but then it became quite soothing. Curling in it, I carefully, hesitantly tugged the sides, watching them curl around me, and felt Eywa's gentle thrum of energy as she surrounded me through the plant. It was like being wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, or a hug…

Safe.

Sighing, I closed my eyes, and carefully gathered my essence together, and plunged down that psychedelic-tube-of-rainbows into Eywa.

Brother, she greeted, wrapping around me and guiding me back to my original body.

Sister, I greeted her back warmly, and gave the impression of amusement, along with the picture of myself covered in mud with Jake, then Tsu'tey's expression. She sent me pictures of laughter, the sound of it, and the impression of her own delighted amusement.

Rest she ordered me as we reached my stop. Lessons morning, yes? I sent an affirmative, and she gently pushed me down the rainbow-tube…

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**

**(.)_(.)**

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

Slowly opening, my eyes, I blinked as I was greeted with white lights in my eyes.

"I'm too young to die," I deadpanned, voice hoarse, whispery, and hid my amusement at the irony of such a statement. Eric snorted and continued to check me over with the small penlight, as Grace hovered nearby with irritated worry on her face.

"Everything working alright in there, baby brother?" Jacob asked as he fiddled with my IV. I mentally went over my body as I heaved myself into a sitting position, groaning. I rubbed my head, and grimaced.

"I've gotta piss like a bloody racehorse," I announced, voice placid, serene. My guardians blinked along with Grace at my language, and I stared at them, bemused. "And then I'll eat the bloody racehorse," I muttered, turning and swinging my legs off the side of the Pod. (What's with mortals and bloody _**pods**_? The machines that connected us to our Avatar were pods, the things Na'vi slept in were pods… You'd think we were then bloody Pod-People…).

"I should think so, since you were out for forty-eight hours, or near-about," Eric drawled, amused, and he and Jacobs steadied me when my first attempt at standing nearly had me falling on my face. My Magics twirled and whirled, trying to get back into their usual places while remembering how my Avatar body fit them at the same time, so they wouldn't be so confused. If I was lucky, it wouldn't be long before I could stop eating Sweet Fruit…If you could call giving up a delicious treat _lucky_.

"What the hell happened to you?" Grace finally snapped, patience wearing thin. "We know what happened to Jake after you both went tearing off into the jungle with that Thanator on your ass's, and that he shoved you under a tree. After that, you went off radar." So, grimacing, I dragged a hand through my hair.

"You are _not_ going to believe me," I told her calmly, seriously. "So let me piss first, then get me food, so I can tell you while I eat. Then I've got to go to bed." I slumped in a practiced show of exhaustion, and yawned. "I'm tired," I muttered, and Jacob obligingly helped me to our shared room as Eric and Grace stayed to help Jake when he woke up, while I went pee and took a quick shower while waiting for food.

When that was done, I sat on my cot and, digging into my Hexapede steak with more enthusiasm then usual (I should get a, what's it called, a Grammy? I think that's it. That naked brass or gold or whatever statue mortals get for Best Actors, or whatever…I should get one.), I told them the same story I'd given the Na'vi and Jake, who sat in his wheelchair across from me. Jacob and Eric arched their eyebrows, obviously believing my magic had had something to do with it. Grace was muttering to herself, and Jake had pursed his lips.

"What I don't get," he said. "Is why everyone thinks we're brothers, now." I blinked, confused.

"Because it's the easiest, simplest way to explain why we get along so well, even when we have impromptu mud-wrestling contests," I smirked and he grinned, eyes glinting. "Besides, I highly doubt they'd be so accepting if I was just a random friend coming to look for you amongst them." Huffing, Jake nodded, accepting that explanation, before yawning and wheeling out.

"You'd best get to bed too, Jayden," he called to me, smirking, as he paused in the doorway. "I have it easy with Neytiri. She, at least, likes me a bit. Or pities me, one of the two. Either way, _you_ have to deal with that jackass, what's-his-name…"

"Tsu'tey," I said, smiling bemusedly as he nodded. "And at least Tsu'tey didn't make me get up and get my own food." Jake stuck his tongue out at me childishly, and I chuckled silently as he left, rolling my eyes, feeling rather weird when my ears didn't twitch in response to my amusement. Grace stood and shook her head, obviously at a lost.

"Don't forget to do your journal log," she ordered, gesturing to the nearby computer. I winced, remembering I was supposed to keep up with that idiotic thing. She smirked slightly, and I decided that she could be a very vindictive woman. "I'll see you in the morning to test you and make sure you know all the important players, understand? Not that I have to worry about _you_ forgetting how to pronounce names," she muttered as she left the room. I sighed, rose, and went to the computer, logging onto my little compute web-journal thing. I grimaced and began, retelling exactly what all had happened, adding what small details that seemed pointless and too obvious to point out. Half of my journal entries turned into textbook quotations or me pointing out differences in recorded information of the past. It was my own little way of getting revenge, since Grace sat through these and watched them all.

Once I'd put in nearly two hours, I yawned, finished up, and turned it off, crawling into bed, calmly looking over at my guardians without a hint of my apparent tiredness. I stared at them as they watched me, waiting, and they stared back. Finally, they sighed, shared a look, and shook their heads at me in bemusement.

"If you want to tell us anything, you can tell us," Eric said. Jacob nodded.

"No judgment." I stared at them for a few minutes, then hesitated, frowning slightly.

"I have a question, actually," I told them. "I'm not sure you can answer it. I'm not sure any but a Na'vi can answer it, and it would be incredibly awkward to ask it so soon, but if it carries on into my life this side of the Avatar…" I frowned, concerned, and they leaned forward, eyes bright and curious.

"What is it, Jayden?" Jacob asked, curious. "Go on, you can ask us. We'll answer to the best of our ability, until you can ask someone who can answer it better." I blinked at them slowly, and nodded.

"It's embarrassing," I warned them; Eric rolled his eyes.

"Just ask already," he sighed. I blinked, shrugged, and did as he asked.

"How do Na'vi have sex without a penis?"

…

I think Jacob swallowed his tongue…

That's not healthy for mortals.

**A/N:** Shorter chapter; next one'll be longer, promise!

**_R&R_**


	6. Lessons Taught Are Lessons Learned

From Start To Finish

**A/N:** I'm back, with a longer chapter then last time!

…

WHOOT!

I own nothing

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and MAN!SEX

**Summary:** AU. Har/Tsu. Immortal Master of Death Harry, now named Jayden, meets the magical, thriving world of Pandora. What's a mostly-insane magical-entity to do? SLASH.

_**R&R**_

**Chapter Five: **

**Lessons Taught Are Lessons Learned**

I woke from my doze at dawn, and took a long, scalding shower, humming softly in pleasure at the feel. Once done, I got out and dressed, and simply watched my guardians sleep peacefully. I had been right; they couldn't answer my question properly. Though, Jacob had suggested it had something to do with _tsaheylu_. I agreed, and had asked Eywa, but she found amusement in telling me, basically, that when the time came, I would know, and then asking me why I wanted to know…

I'd promptly stopped asking, and she sent me the impression of laughter and warmth.

Now I sighed, stretched, and made my way to the lab. I had a few hours to kill, and was looking forward to seeing what information Grace and Norm had gotten while I was off "playing with the natives" as Quaritch would probably call it.

I didn't like that man.

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**

**(.)_(.)**

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

Grace came in, blurry-eyed, two hours later, and promptly tested me on my knowledge of the Na'vi leaders. I answered everything correctly, pronouncing the names right and giving a prompt, easy description, never looking up from the sample I was studying. She grunted, pleased, and drank what was probably her eighth cup of coffee, black, with enough sugar it could probably be classified as a syrup as opposed to a liquid…

"What's your opinion of Tsu'tey?" She finally asked me, curious. I hummed.

"For a warrior, he's very impatient," I said, turning to Norms notes and kindly correcting the spelling of a word for him. "He also dislikes us with a passion, hates us, even. He hate's Jake more then me, probably because of how close Jake is going to have to get to Neytiri. He thinks I am a pathetic, weak waste of space that doesn't have what it takes to be a Na'vi warrior… Oh," I looked up with a bemused little smile. "And he doesn't like mud." Grace blinked.

"Really?" She asked, fascinated; I nodded, chuckling silently.

"I was tempted to throw some at him, just to see if he'd cringe and hide from it, but I'm not Jake," I deadpanned, blinking serenely. "Can I tell you something?" She nodded, smirking, amused. "My Avatar body can be very frustrating. Its emotions are all over the bloody place, and fluctuate like crazy." Grace was smirking even more now.

"That, Jayden, is the mighty thing called _puberty_," she drawled, chuckling. I frowned, tilting my head.

"Is it really?" I asked. "How the bloody hell do teenagers deal with the damn thing, then?" I asked, honestly bewildered. She grinned.

"By telling themselves 'it only happens once'," she deadpanned; I blinked.

"But I'm going through it twice," I told her. She nodded, patted me on the shoulder sympathetically, and set about getting everything ready for Jake and me for when my friend got his paraplegic-ass out of bed. As if reading my mind, the doors slid open, and he wheeled right in, blinking sleepily at me as he rolled to a stop at my side. He watched me type calculations on the computer with one hand without looking at it, while studying Norm's notes intently, and snorted.

"I forgot you were a scientist," he admitted; I looked at him, fingers never stilling and smiled slightly.

"I take that as a compliment," I told him; Max appeared with two cups of coffee, Jakes black, my own with whip-cream and loads of strawberry syrup. The two other males staring at me with morbid fascination, I drank my concoction, using the cup to hide my smirk. The only reason I drank my coffee like that was to see the looks on their faces each time.

In minutes, my coffee was done and I went back to copying Norm's notes onto the computer for him. He came in, and sleepily, gratefully thanked me, gulping down some strange-colored protein shake as Grace came over to nag Jake and me into eating some scrambled eggs and bacon. We obeyed, though I had to switch typing hands in order to do it, and eat neatly with my left hand. Grace shook her head but set another cup of my kind of coffee next to me. I sent her a warm smile, finished my food, drank my coffee, and finished the notes in ten minutes.

"Done," I announced, pushing back from the desk as Eric and Jacob came in. Immediately, Jake shoved the last bite of eggs into his own mouth, and we moved to our respective Pods. I slid into mine, and waited as my guardians went through the motions and stuck the new IV into my other arm. I laid back, relaxed, and watched them inject my potion. I answered their questions patiently, and watched the Pod-lid close with the coffin's _thud_. Closing my eyes, I took steady breaths…

And was sucked down the Rainbow-Tube.

Morning, Brother, Eywa greeted me warmly, sending pictures of the sunrise, painting the clouds beautiful colors as flocks of Banshee's (_Ikran _as the Na'vi knew them) flew through the sky. I sent her the sounds of soft sighs, pictures of gentle smiles.

Beautiful morning, Sister. Sending me a pleased thrum, she slid me into my other Rainbow-Tube, and I was sucked down it and into my other body. Opening my now-gold eyes, I blinked blurrily and yawned, stretching silently.

Today was going to be interesting…

**PAGE BREAK! PAGE BREAK!**

**(.)_(.)**

**( *;* )**

**(U_U)**

**EVIL BUNNY PREVAILS!**

**PAGE BREAK!**

After breakfast, Tsu'tey led me and a group of slightly younger Na'vi to what could only be called an Archery Range. I frowned slightly, eying the bow he'd all but shoved into my hands with a quiver of unpoisoned arrows. He then told us all we were to shoot the targets, before he set about correcting our stances.

I have never held a bow and arrow in my life that I could remember. It's safe to say, I had the most corrections. And Tsu'tey took pleasure in snapping at me whenever I got the stance wrong.

Beginning to get truly irritated, I blinked when, instead of Tsu'tey's rough, harsh corrections, smaller, kinder hands helped me correct my stance. I looked, and saw that the boy next to me had decided to take pity on the Dream-Walker and help him, and sent him a small, grateful smile, before concentrating. I focused down the arrow, drew the string back to my ear, muscles straining, and, after a second more of aiming, released it.

I managed not to yelp when the string snapped against the skin on the inside of my wrist, grimacing as pain lanced up my arm. It wasn't the first time since this lesson had started, after all. My arrow hit the dirt just infront of the target, which wasn't good, but was much better then my previous tries. Growling, I pulled out another arrow, and took the stance again, remembering where the boy had set my arm and moving accordingly. Tsu'tey paused and glared at me, looking me over critically, before walking over and kicking my feet a few inches farther apart. I bit back a growl as he also shoved my drawing arm up a bit, and pushed my bow-holding arm at a slightly-more awkward angle.

He paused when my wrist was exposed, and I didn't look at him as his fingers touched the nasty, lightly bloody marks there with surprising gentleness. I ignored it, and carefully drew back on the bow, and he immediately removed his fingers to correct me hold, making me pull back a little farther. My head was beginning to feel a little light, and I'd have to stop to eat a Sweet Fruit after this shot.

~"Aim with the wind,"~ He ordered me, scowling, and I took a deep breath, tilted my bow a fraction so the arrow was angled slightly against the wind, and fired. The string again grazed my wrist, and my ears twitched, but my eyes were locked on my arrow as it flew forward…

And struck the very edge of the target, hanging there pathetically, but staying there.

Feeling satisfied with that, I carefully lowered my bow as my body began to shake, and reached into my bag to absently pull out a Sweet Fruit, biting into it as I watched the other boy's shots hit the targets nearly dead-center almost every time. _Nothing to boost morality like proving you're better then someone you hate,_ I thought, a bit startled by the surge of bitter jealousy that curled through me. I frowned, then shook my head, quickly ate my Fruit, and, still chewing my last bite, lifted my bow to continue.

This went on for hours, and I continued well after the other boys and Tsu'tey had left for lunch. I finished the last of my Sweet Fruit, and swallowed my frustration as my shaking, weak hand refused to grip the string properly.

~"Come on,"~ I hissed, blinking my vision clear. I had managed to hit the target more often, but never near the center, and I was going to do that before I let myself rest. Stubbornness and determination flooded me and, taking a deep breath, I pulled back on the string with all my failing strength, trying to focus on the seemingly-moving target. Growling, I realized how stupid I was being, allowing my bodies hormones to control me, and shakily relaxed my arm. I unnotched my arrow and set it into my quiver with badly-shaking fingers, before carefully lowering myself to the ground and putting my face in one hand, trying to calm my shallow breathing.

A hand on my shoulder had me flinching, and I blinked, vision foggy, as someone offered me something round and pink. Recognizing the scent of a Sweet Fruit, I weakly took it, and tiredly took a bite, eating it slowly and carefully, eyes closed, as I sensed the person settling next to me, and heard the creaking of a basket. As I finished the Sweet Fruit, the shaking settled a little bit, but I still felt weak and dizzy. Another was immediately pressed into my hands, and I nearly dropped it as pain lanced up my left arm, making me hiss, but I grimaced through it and, eyes still closed and breath still a bit shallow, I focused on eating the Fruit.

Once it was done, I cautiously opened my eyes, and saw that everything wasn't nearly as blurry as before. A little fuzzy at the edges of my vision, easily ignorable. I accepted another Sweet Fruit, and nibbled on it as I turned my head and looked at my provider, blinking slowly in surprise.

Kirrir reclined next to me, leaning back on his hands, and watching the sky, expression inscrutable. The large basket next to him was filled with Sweet Fruit, nearly overflowing with the delicious, energy providing snack. I cradled my fruit in my right hand and swallowed my bite, sighing softly as the last of the dizziness, shakes, and foggy-sight went away.

~"I See You, Jaa'dyn," the Na'vi said quietly, turning his head to eye me; I gave him a small smile.

~"I See You, Kirrir. Thank you for the fruit. I was in need of more, and had run out."~ He nodded, then his gold eyes landed on my bloody, bruised wrist, and he frowned lightly. I looked at it, and smiled wryly. ~"The bow-string does not like my flesh, and seeks to tear it off,"~ I informed the warrior; he hummed, reached over, and gently dragged a finger down the injured flesh. I hissed softly, wincing as my tail curled tightly and my ears pinned. He murmured softly, rummaged through his basked, and pulled out a clay jar and some strange, bandage-looking material.

"Let me see," he ordered in English, I obediently turned, continuing to eat my fruit as he opened the clay jar and spread an even, thick layer of yellow, cool-feeling cream on the wounds. I sighed softly in relief as the pain faded to half of what it had been, and gave him a grateful smile. As he began to wrap my wrist and I reached the last quarter of my fruit, the boys I had been training with and Tsu'tey returned. When he saw what was happening, my teacher flushed, obviously embarrassed, but lifted his chin at the dark look Kirrir sent him. I finished my fruit and wondered if I should get another, when the option was taken from me when Kirrir all but forced one into my hand. I smiled, bemused, but obediently began to eat it when he gave me a small, stern frown.

~"I will be right back,"~ He told me, standing and gesturing for Tsu'tey to follow him. Ears twitching back in what could have been unease, my teacher did, and I was left to be surrounded by the curious boys. The one who had helped me earlier crouched next to me and touched my bandage in concern, and I smiled at him after swallowing a bite of fruit. He searched my face, then nodded, seeming pleased with something he'd seen in my expression, before he sat next to me and pulled a small shish-kebab from the pouch-like bag that hung from his side, and handing it to me.

~"You need more then that,"~ he said calmly, nodding to the Sweet Fruit. ~"You must get strong, so that when we become warriors together, we may spar, and I need not worry of breaking you."~ I blinked, took the Hexapede-and-vegetable-kebab, and bared my teeth at the challenging grin he sent me.

~"I thank you, then,"~ I told him. ~"Though it is not me who need fear breaking,"~ the other boys laughed and I smirked along with the boy, before carefully eating the shish-kebab. By the time that, and my Sweet Fruit was finished, Kirrir and Tsu'tey had returned, both scowling with lashing tails. The boys quieted, tails and ears quivering with wariness as they eyed the tense warriors, and I let my tail tap the boy next to me lightly in the leg as I pushed myself to my feet.

~"I have gotten better,"~ I told him, lifting my bow and plucking an arrow from my quiver. I gave him a placid smile that showed a few too many teeth. His eyes widened, then narrowed as he grinned at the challenge, scrambling for his own bow and arrow. Thoroughly distracted from the tension-filled adults, the other boys scrabbled to get good places to see the little challenge, two running out to pull all the arrows from two of the targets, bringing them back to fill our quivers.

~"Speed or accuracy?"~ The boy asked; I pursed my lips.

~"A warrior needs both,"~ I shot back, smirking at the excited quivering to his ears and tail. I wasn't sure I would win this little challenge, but it would be fun. Shifting so that I could grab arrows better, I glanced at my wrist with a small frown.

~"Hold a moment,"~ I said, and calmly switched arms, knowing that doing so would probably greatly lower my chance of winning, but I didn't want my wrist any more damaged then it was. Quickly, I took up the correct position, mirrored now for the opposite hands, and tested the feel of it by pulling my bow string back with my injured arm, after setting my arrow back into the quiver. The wrist ached dully, but didn't protest too badly. Nodding, I sent the slightly wide-eyed boy a small, placid smirk.

~"Ready?"~ We both snatched up an arrow and set it against the string.

~"Ready,"~ He said; we shared a look from the corner of our eyes, and focused on our targets, pulling the strings back to behind our ears. My body shifted, arms tilting to the positions Tsu'tey had kept smacking and shoving them roughly into before, only opposite now that their roles had reversed. My own ears quivered at the high-pitched, mosquito-whine of the bow-string's tension.

~"Now!"~ We both barked, releasing our arrows and immediately reaching for the next ones as our arrows flew. No pain rose from my right wrist, I was glad to say, and I was proud to see as I notched my next arrow that my arrow had hit nearly dead-center. _Ha!_ No time for mental cheering, though. I pulled the string back, aimed, released, in milliseconds, and was pulling on my next arrow, movements sliding into a smoothed, practiced grace as my body picked up the familiarity I'd pounded into my head the last eight to ten hours.

The cheering of the other boys went unheard. My opponents soft curses as, in his haste, his string snapped his own wrist, went unnoticed. All I heard was the soft _snick_ of the arrow clipping onto the string; that _zzzing_ as the string was pulled back, and the deep _twuuung_ as it was released. I didn't see anything but the target, the wind's movements occasionally shifting leaves a different direction, forcing me to shift accordingly. I was focused, totally, and my entire body seemed to be at peace with itself, content, one…

Until my reaching, steady hand found no more arrows in my quiver.

I blinked as my peace, the harmony I'd found, came to a screeching halt. My ears pinned back at the sudden noise of the boys cursing and egging their friend on, and I dropped my eyes to stare blankly at my empty quiver, frowning, confused at the sight as my mind scrambled to explain what it meant. Turning my head, I watched my young opponent shoot his last arrow, and realized as I watched his chest heave, sweat pour down his own, that my body was in much the same condition. Slowly, I sat down, gasping for breath that I didn't know until just then that I needed, and managed a triumphant grin when he flopped down beside me.

~"I won the speed,"~ I managed to gasp out; he nodded, wincing as he rubbed his bruised wrist gingerly.

~"It will not help you if you're accuracy was off,"~ He shot back; I nodded, flopping onto my back with an explosive sigh, eyes closing. Groaning, he laid down next to me, and I opened my eyes half-way when feet stepped next to my head. Tsu'tey stared down at me, face blank, eyes guarded, and I couldn't help but realize that this was the first time that day I hadn't seen some form of sneer or scowl on him.

~"Who won?"~ I asked him, feeling tired. I heaved myself up, and absently caught the Sweet Fruit Kirrir tossed me as he began to put the rest of the ones from his basket into my bag, which had been sitting nearby. Tsu'tey was silent a moment, just watching me, then glanced towards the targets.

~"It was a tie,"~ he said; all the boys and I groaned, grimacing. ~"Otyn has the most accurate hits. You have the better speed, and not once did you drop your bow,"~ he added, with the smallest hint of grudging approval. Otyn, my opponent, flushed darkly and I felt a startling flush of pride flood me. Turning, I took Otyn's arm and silently eyed the wound from the bow-string. It was not nearly as bad as some of my own, but it was not a nice, light wound either. I glanced at Kirrir, and he obligingly passed me the clay pot and bandages he'd used on my own wounds. I flashed him a small, grateful smile, and carefully applied the cream to the wound, before wrapping it. That done, I sat back with a smile.

~"Next time,"~ I told him, eyes glinting. ~"I will beat you."~ His eyes widened, then narrowed as he grinned. Without conscious thought, our arms snapped together, hands locking on the others forearms in a warriors shake, and we nodded.

~"Don't make promises you can't keep, Jarhead,"~ he ordered me; I smirked.

~"I never do, Omaticaya,"~ I shot back. I think it's safe to say that I had a friend in Otyn, if only one of those that's also a very competitive rival, but still…

A friend…

After that, Kirrir left, and Tsu'tey had the other boys try their hands at a speed and accuracy challenge, so he could evaluate them. Otyn and I sat on the sidelines, my now full bag against my side as we relaxed, watching the interesting sight. It was rather impressive, when you were on the side-lines…

A rustling sound next to me had me turning my head, and blinking at Na'ney when he snuffled at me, rubbing his feelers in my face. I chuckled silently and turned, pulling him lightly out of the bushes. The Tapirus showed no problem with sprawling in my lap and wriggling, begging for a scratch, which I obligingly gave to the amusement and curiosity of Otyn. The younger Na'vi reached over and joined me in spoiling my little friend, almost immediately finding the Tapirus's favorite spot on his neck. I snickered softly.

~"He's going to follow you around for a while now,"~ I told the boy; he gave me a confused look, and I stopped scratching Na'ney. Immediately, he was out of my lap and wriggling and rolling and rubbing against Otyn, begging for a scratch, and making the boy laugh, startled. Tsu'tey glanced back at us with a sharp frown, and I shushed Otyn with a small smile, making the boy duck his head. He continued to scratch Na'ney's neck, though, and the Tapirus sighed gustily, eyes closing as he slumped limply against the Na'vi's legs.

When the boys finished their challenges, Tsu'tey sent them back to Hometree with orders to practice and meet him at the Range in two days, at the same time, like usual. Na'ney, like I had told him, followed an amused Otyn like an infatuated puppy. Once they were gone, I turned my calm, placid gaze on Tsu'tey, who scowled and crossed his arms over his chest, looking strangely defensive.

~"Kirrir has told me I am a bad teacher,"~ he said after a moment of silence. I blinked, ears and tail twitching sharply in surprise. Well, I certainly hadn't expected him to say _that_. Maybe say something derogatory and unnecessarily mean, but, not that…

~"He says,"~ my teacher continued. ~"That I try to teach you like you are worthless of teaching, when I should teach you like you are a student. I think he is mistaken."~ He gave me a scowl, and waited, obviously, for an answer. I tilted my head and frowned slightly, a little confused. Did Tsu'tey want.. Reassurance? That was strange…

~"Well?"~ he snapped, glaring, now. ~"Am I a bad teacher?"~ I sighed, wondering, briefly, if I would have to deal with this strange insecurity daily or if it was only when it came to teaching that he had it.

~"I think,"~ I said calmly, quietly. ~"You are a good teacher to those you want to teach."~ I fell silent, blinking placidly at him, as he impatiently waited for me to continue. When I didn't, he snarled, and paced, furious.

"Explain!" He snapped in English; I sighed, looked around, and walked a little ways away to perch on a fallen tree.

~"Did you know you have yet to say my name, even once, since we've met?"~ I asked him suddenly; he blinked, pausing, confused. ~"And just now, when you started talking, I was surprised. Because you did not start out calling me a name or saying something cruel to me."~ I crossed my legs and set my chin in my hands, my elbows on my knees, and watched him with a small, sad smile.

~"To the other boys, you taught them with quiet words, gestures, careful movements when their stances were wrong,"~ I continued calmly, and ignored his looked of blank realization. ~"To me, you yelled, hit, snapped. You called me names, made fun of me, and made me feel I was stupid and unable to do anything right. But I kept working at it, and ignored what you said, because I knew you were not mad at me, but mad at my people, and though unfair of you, I understand."~ I stretched, sighing as I stood, looking down at him from my vantage point.

~"You are impatient to a fault, Tsu'tey,"~ I told him calmly. ~"You expect me to know things Na'vi children grew up on, and get frustrated when I don't. I am not Na'vi, and whenever you remember this, you get even angrier, and you take it out on me. You must have patience, Tsu'tey," I told him quietly, calmly. ~"The _Nantang_ does not throw their pups into the _Yerik_ herd and expect them to bring down the biggest buck. They start with showing the pups how to walk, then to run, how to use their teeth and claws, and only _then_ do they show them how to hunt."~ I turned, and hesitated, looking back, and gave him a small smile.

~"You are a good teacher, Tsu'tey,"~ I told him firmly quietly. ~"You just need to learn some things first, before you can become a better teacher."~ So saying, I jumped down, and padded into the foliage, moving towards the general direction of Hometree, in a direction that would take me a while longer to get their. I had a feeling Tsu'tey needed some time to think, and, as I climbed up into the trees and padded along a thick branch, I smiled slightly.

Maybe he'd learn a few things himself.

Humming, I followed a path Eywa suggested, and smiled as I soon found myself with company in the form of a familiar female Viperwolf. She yipped at me, and moved ahead of me a bit, turning to the left just a fraction, and I left her herd me away from the path to Hometree. After a bit of running, we were joined by six more Viperwolves, and I grinned as I ran with them, until we were leaping down form the branches and into a clearing.

Once I entered it, each _Nantang_ began to glow, spots almost totally alike in every way, with a difference thrown in every now and then. Smiling, I felt my own spot shift accordingly and begin to glow in the shaded clearing, and, after a few minutes, the glowing died down once pack was recognized and accepted. Immediately, the pups surged from the den they'd been hiding in, under a large dead tree. There were fifteen in all, three of which were the ones I'd met before. Four looked nearly that age, about to join the pack in hunting, and watching me with curious, glowing green eyes.

I hummed and sat down to be accosted by an overly-playful pup that had a strange, lighter-gray splotch on her snout. I let her tackle me, and chuckled, rolling with her as he siblings immediately joined in, barking and yipping and hissing happily. After a few minutes, I just laid there on my stomach, smiling softly as the pups wrestled on my back, occasionally and accidentally scratching. The one I'd nicknamed Mother came to lay next to me, licking and nipping at my hair, careful with my braid. Her own neural-whip reached for my queue, the nerve filaments reaching curiously, and I carefully moved my arm and cautiously connected them. She cooed and I let my head fall on the grass, assimilating, as she licked my face with a new tenderness.

She had done this hundreds of times, with every member of her pack, with every pup when they'd come of age. In a way that I couldn't quite understand, the _Nantang_ always knew where one another was because of it, especially the newer members, after they created _Tsaheylu_. I was suddenly connected not to just Mother's mind, but a little bit to every mind of the adult members of the pack, even the ones hunting miles and miles away. And I realized that we humans had made a mistake. There weren't many different packs of Viperwolves running around in small clusters. It was one, massive pack, split into small sections, like a state has counties. And all of them were connected through this, the bond…

It was one of the most amazing things I had ever had the pleasure of being a part of, and I shivered as my queue unconnected, yet I remained connected to that massive, collective of separate beings. It wasn't as sharp, or as clear, but it was still there. It was almost like being connected to Eywa, surrounded by the souls and consciousnesses of those passed, or when I concentrated on my Magics and just _felt_ every Life and Death that happened, to a _cellular level_. This was different then those, though, because those were apart of me, of whom, what, I am, what Eywa, my Sister, is.

This was being apart of another creatures collective, willingly, and welcomed.

A family.

Swallowing, I rolled over, knocking the startled pups off my back and sending them rolling. I settled on my side, staring at Mother, who truly _was_ like my Mother then, and swallowed again. Carefully, I leaned forward, and set my face against her neck in silence for a few moments, breathing in her scent, and she crooned comfortingly, her neural-whips caressing the sides of my head.

When I returned to Hometree before dinner, the Viperwolves made sure I got there safely. I ate in silence, not even humming, and ate quickly, before bidding Tsu'tey a distracted goodnight, as well as a slightly-concerned Jake, before I climbed up to the hammock branch. Once there, I followed Eywa's directions to the same Pod I'd used the night before, and slid into it, before I closed it around me and slid from my body. Eywa kept me with her for a few minutes, merely holding me with the sensation of warmth, with no words between us, only affection, before putting me back into my human body.

Being a Na'vi is confusing.

Being an Immortal is tiring.

Being a Viperwolf is just plain strange.

**A/N:** There, a longer chapter for my loverly reviewers!

**_R&R_**


End file.
